Tuna and Scallion Rice Bowl (Negitoro Don)
Create a restaurant-quality Negitoro Don at home in minutes. This vibrant Japanese rice bowl features a rich, melt-in-your-mouth minced tuna paste seasoned with Japanese mayo, crowned with fresh scallions and a luscious raw egg yolk.
Negitoro Don is a beloved Japanese comfort food that brilliantly utilizes every part of the tuna. The name famously combines negi (scallions) and toro (fatty tuna), though modern preparations often blend leaner tuna with a touch of mayonnaise to replicate that luxurious, fatty texture. Served over warm rice, its a dish that relies entirely on the freshness and quality of its simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 bowl cooked white rice
- 200 g sushi-grade raw tuna
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 pasteurized egg yolk
- 2 tbsp chopped scallions
- to taste shredded seaweed (nori)
- to taste toasted white sesame seeds
- to taste soy sauce
- to taste wasabi
Instructions
- 1Pat the tuna dry
Prepare your sushi-grade tuna by removing any excess moisture. Use clean white kitchen paper towels to carefully pat the block of raw red tuna dry on the cutting board.
Tip: Removing excess surface moisture is crucial when working with raw fish, as it preserves the texture and prevents it from becoming mushy when minced. - 2Slice the tuna into strips
Using a sharp chefs knife, slice the dried piece of raw red tuna into long, even strips. Make clean, deliberate cuts to keep the flesh intact before moving on to dicing.
Tip: Always use a very sharp knife for raw fish to ensure clean cuts without bruising or tearing the delicate meat. - 3Mince the tuna
Take the sliced tuna strips and dice them, then use your knife to finely chop the pieces. Continue chopping until the raw red tuna reaches a fine, paste-like minced texture.
Tip: Keep your knife moving in a steady rocking motion across the fish to achieve a uniform mince quickly without overworking the meat. - 4Add mayonnaise
Separate a portion of the freshly minced tuna from the main pile. Take your bottle of mayonnaise and squeeze it directly onto this smaller portion of the raw red tuna to your liking.
Tip: For an authentic flavor profile, use Japanese mayonnaise, which is richer and slightly sweeter than standard varieties. - 5Combine the mixtures
Bring the mayonnaise-mixed tuna paste together with the rest of the plain minced raw tuna. Use your knife to repeatedly chop and fold the two piles together until they are thoroughly blended into a uniform mixture.
Tip: Folding the ingredients together with your knife rather than mixing vigorously with a spoon helps retain the desired texture of the minced fish. - 6Assemble the rice bowl
Now its time to begin assembling the dish. Place a generous mound of the prepared pinkish-red minced tuna mixture over a serving of freshly cooked white rice, ready for the final garnishes.
Tip: Allowing your cooked rice to cool slightly before adding the tuna ensures the residual heat wont begin to cook the raw fish. - 7Garnish with scallions
Take the finely chopped scallions and carefully sprinkle them in a ring around the mound of minced tuna paste in your prepared rice bowl. This adds a fresh, aromatic crunch to the dish.
Tip: Ensure the scallions are finely minced to provide a better texture and color distribution around the tuna. - 8Add seaweed and egg yolk
Place thin strips of shredded seaweed over the tuna mixture. Carefully add the raw pasteurized egg yolk into the center of the tuna mound to complete the core assembly.
Tip: Handle the egg yolk gently to keep it intact, as it provides a rich, creamy element to the final bowl. - 9Drizzle with soy sauce
Finally, drizzle soy sauce over the assembled tuna, seaweed, and egg yolk. Serve immediately and mix everything together before eating.
Tip: A little soy sauce goes a long way; add it slowly to taste.
