Japanese Chirashizushi

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
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Updated on 12/23/21
Japanese Chirashizushi

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
249 Calories
3g Fat
35g Carbs
18g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 249
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 113mg 38%
Sodium 758mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 36mg 3%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 428mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Japanese chirashizushi, known as scattered sushi, is served on plates or in bowls with colorful toppings.

It's often cooked for celebrating special occasions, such as festivals, birthdays, and so on. Don't be limited by the toppings suggested here. Use your imagination to create a dish that suits your palate.

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Ingredients

For the Rice:

For the Sushi Vinegar:

  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Toppings:

  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in 2 cups of warm water

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon mirin

  • 3 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1 cucumber, julienned

  • 2 ounces imitation crab, shredded

  • 1/2 pound sashimi/sushi-grade tuna

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • Wasabi, optional, for marinating with the soy sauce and tuna

  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Rice

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    rice in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. ​Put rice in a large bowl and rinse with cold water. Repeat rinsing until the runs clear. Drain rice in a colander and set aside for 30 minutes.

    rice in a strainer

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Place rice in a rice cooker and add about 2 1/3 cups of water. Let the rice soak in the water for at least 30 minutes. Start cooker.

    rice in a rice cooker

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Make the Sushi Vinegar

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Sushi Vinegar ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. In a small saucepan, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Put pan on low heat and heat until sugar dissolves. Cool vinegar mixture.

    rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Spread hot steamed rice onto a large plate or a large bowl. Sprinkle vinegar mixture over the rice and quickly mix into the rice using a shamoji (rice spatula).

    rice and rice vinegar in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Prepare the Toppings and Omelets

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Japanese Chirashizushi ingredients

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Remove stems from shiitake and slice thinly. Heat 2/3 cup of reserved water used for rehydrating shiitake in a medium pan.

    mushrooms on a cutting board, water in a pot

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Add shiitake, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and mirin. Simmer shiitake on low heat until liquid is almost gone. Set aside.

    mushrooms cooking in a pot

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Make omelets by beating eggs in a bowl with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Oil a medium skillet , our a scoop of egg mixture, and make a thin omelet like a crepe. Continue until mixture is gone.

    omelet cooking in a cast iron pan

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Cut omelet into thin strips.

    omelet strips on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Serve sushi rice on a large plate or individual bowls. Spread simmered shiitake, cucumber, imitation crabmeat, and omelet strips over rice. Marinate the tuna in soy sauce and a little optional wasabi, and place tuna sashimi on top. Garnish with sesame seeds.

    Japanese Chirashizushi in a bowl

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

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