Kaisen-Don Recipe: How to Make a Japanese Seafood Bowl

Kaisen-don is a type of donburi, or Japanese rice bowl. Kaisen means “seafood” in Japanese, and don is short for donburi. For Japanese restaurants that serve sashimi and maki (sushi rolls), kaisen-don is a great way to use up pieces of seafood like negitoro, the corners of tuna that cannot be sliced into perfect sashimi rectangles. For home cooks, it's a great way to enjoy seafood without having to master perfect nigiri or hand rolls.

Kaisen-don looks similar to chirashi bowls or "scattered sushi." Both dishes feature bowls of rice topped with raw fish and are often served at sushi restaurants. The difference between kaisen-don and chirashi is what's underneath the fish: kaisen-don is served with plain white rice, while chirashi is made with sushi rice, which is seasoned with vinegar, salt, and sugar.

This seafood and rice dish can include various toppings. In Japan, kaisen-don can feature different types of seafood, or just one, such as tekka-don (tuna donburi). Some favorite additions to kaisen-don include:

1. 1. Fish: Popular fish selections for kaisen-don are ikura (salmon roe), maguro (bluefin tuna), shiro maguro (albacore tuna), toro (fatty tuna), and hamachi (yellowtail).
2. 2. Shellfish: Shellfish such as uni (sea urchin), ebi (shrimp), hotate (sea scallop) and kani surimi (imitation crab meat) are common additions to kaisen-don.
3. 3. Egg: Tamagoyaki is a rolled omelette often included in kaisen-don.
4. 4. Vegetables: Kaiware, or daikon radish sprouts, can add crunch to a bowl of kaisen-don. You can also top your rice bowl with tempura vegetables.