Japanese Sea Urchin Rice Bowl (Uni Don)

Celebrate the arrival of autumn with this luxurious Japanese sea urchin rice bowl. Featuring fresh uni, vibrant roe, and a silky quail egg for a rich, creamy finish.

Ingredients

• 1 whole fresh sea urchin
• 1 bowl warm cooked white rice
• 2 tbsp flying fish roe (tobiko)
• 30 g seaweed salad
• 3 pieces raw sweet shrimp
• 1 quail egg
• to taste soy sauce

Instructions

1. 1Cut the sea urchin mouth

   

   Hold the fresh sea urchin securely in a white cloth. Use scissors to carefully cut off the mouth section located at the center of the underside.

   Tip: Be gentle to avoid crushing the delicate shell while cutting.
2. 2Open the sea urchin

   

   From the center opening created by removing the mouth, use scissors to cut outwards in a circular motion to widen the opening and expose the interior of the sea urchin.

   Tip: Cut slowly to keep the shell pieces from falling inside the urchin.
3. 3Scoop the roe

   

   Use a small metal spoon to gently scoop out the yellow sea urchin roe (glands) from the dark interior of the shell. Work carefully to extract them in large, intact pieces.

   Tip: The roe is very soft, so use a light touch with the spoon.
4. 4Clean the roe

   

   Place the scooped sea urchin roe into the palm of your hand. Gently rinse under a thin stream of drinking water to wash away any remaining dark membranes or debris, leaving only the clean yellow glands.

   Tip: Use a very gentle flow of water to prevent breaking the delicate roe.
5. 5Arrange on rice

   

   Prepare a bowl of warm, cooked white rice. Using chopsticks, carefully place the cleaned yellow sea urchin roe sequentially onto the surface of the rice.

   Tip: Arrange the pieces neatly to create an appealing presentation.
6. 6Add fish roe

   

   Use chopsticks to add a generous portion of bright orange flying fish roe (tobiko) to the remaining empty sections of the rice bowl alongside the sea urchin.

   Tip: The contrasting colors of the sea urchin and the orange roe make the dish look vibrant.
7. 7Add seaweed salad

   

   Take a portion of bright green, vibrant seaweed salad and carefully place it into the rice bowl, positioning it next to the existing sea urchin and other seafood toppings. The seaweed adds a refreshing texture and color to the bowl.

   Tip: Drain any excess liquid from the seaweed salad before adding it to the bowl to keep the rice from becoming soggy.
8. 8Add sweet shrimp

   

   Carefully arrange a few pieces of raw sweet shrimp along the edge of the assembled rice bowl. The translucent, delicate shrimp enhance the presentation and provide a sweet flavor profile to the dish.

   Tip: Ensure the shrimp are fresh and deveined before arranging them for the best raw experience.
9. 9Prepare quail egg yolk

   

   Gently crack a raw quail egg into a small dish. Use a small metal spoon to carefully lift the delicate yellow yolk, separating it from the egg white, ensuring the yolk remains intact.

   Tip: Quail eggs have very thin shells; crack them gently on a flat surface to avoid breaking the yolk inside.
10. 10Add quail egg yolk

    

    With precision, gently transfer the separated raw quail egg yolk from the spoon and place it directly into the center of the prepared seafood rice bowl, nestled amongst the sea urchin and roe.

    Tip: The yolk acts as a rich sauce; place it carefully so it does not break before serving.
11. 11Drizzle with soy sauce

    

    Finish the dish by slowly drizzling a small amount of dark soy sauce from a bottle over the top of the assembled sea urchin, seafood, and rice. This adds the final savory seasoning required before serving.

    Tip: Add soy sauce sparingly; you can always add more at the table, but too much will overpower the delicate flavor of the sea urchin.

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