Salmon Donburi is a very popular lunch item for many office workers in Seoul. It can be described as fresh salmon sashimi layered over a bed of sticky rice. This Japanese dish is (still) one my favorite lunch dishes as it is healthy, filling and doesn't lead to that dreadful "2:30 fatigue".
The only downside to this recipe is that fresh salmon may be expensive. In Korea, most of our salmon is imported from the Nordics (Norway in particular) and the markup is high. So, if you are living in an area where salmon is fished locally, this dish may be very economical. Try it out and let me know how you like the taste.
Key taste variable:
Buy fresh salmon fillet - not frozen or packaged. If it is fresh, it will not have a fishy odor.

Salmon Donburi – Sashimi Strips over Bed of Rice
Ingredients
- Fresh salmon - 150 grams
- Onion - ½ whole
- Cooked white rice - 1 cup
- Radish sprouts - a few garnish
- Wasabi - small dab
Infused Soy Sauce
- Soy sauce - 4 teaspoon
- Water - 4 teaspoon
- Cooking wine - 1 teaspoon any rice wine ok
- Sugar - 1 teaspoon
- Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
- Minced garlic - ½ teaspoon
- Onion - ¼ whole
Instructions
Prep Salmon and Onions
- Cut fillet into sashimi strips. Set aside. Then cut half an onion into very thin slices.
- Put the strips into cold water and strain after 5 minutes.
Make Sauce
- Place all listed ingredients for the sauce into a mixing bowl. Slice another half of an onion into strips and mix them into the sauce.
- Pour the sauce into a pot.
- Place the pot on high heat and bring it up to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, reduce the heat to a medium-low and cook for one more minute.
- Strain the liquid. Set sauce aside to cool.
- Use the leftover onions as a side-dish.
Make Bowl
- Fill a bowl with hot sticky rice. Then spread a spoonful of the flavored soy sauce over the rice.
- Then add a layer of thinly sliced onions (from Step 1).
- Then add the sashimi strips on top. Garnish with radish sprouts and a dab of wasabi.
Notes
- Reference this video if you need help on cutting the fillet into salmon strips.
- See video below for more details
Geeling says
Very clear, easy and delicious