Japanese cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Negitoro Don

Finely chopped fatty tuna belly with spring onions, arranged creamy on lightly seasoned sushi rice.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g tuna belly (sashimi grade)
• 400 g short-grain rice
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp wasabi
• 1 sheet of nori
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, drain for 20 min., cook covered with 480 ml water for 13 min. and let steam for another 10 min.
2. Dissolve rice vinegar with sugar and salt, fold into the hot rice and let it cool to hand temperature, turning it with a cutting motion of the spatula rather than stirring.
3. Cut the well-chilled tuna belly with a heavy knife first into strips, then crosswise into fine cubes, and finally chop coarsely until a rough, still chunky paste forms.
4. Cut the spring onions into very fine rings, fold two-thirds of them with the sesame oil and 1 tbsp soy sauce loosely into the fish — do not mash it.
5. Fill the lukewarm rice into four bowls, smooth the surface and mound the fish mixture in the center.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining spring onions, finely cut nori and sesame seeds, place a dab of wasabi alongside and serve the remaining soy sauce separately.