While trying to introduce Japanese cooking to a family member this past month, I decided that a good introductory meal to make would be onigiri.
Onigiri are Japanese rice balls that are either filled, or not, with smoked salmon, crab, tuna and mayo, etc. They’re easy to make, very filling, are good for lunches, and will last up to a week in the fridge.
A friend, Kobayashi, made the non-stuffed variety of onigiri for us and glazed them in Japanese barbeque sauce after toasting them in the oven. They were awesome and really easy to make. The filled variety is slightly more difficult since you need to make them by hand unless you have an onigiri press. After ironing out some wrinkles in the way I actually form the rice balls, I figured it was time to pass on the recipe.
Filled Onigiri
INGREDIENTS:
- At least three cups or more of freshly cooked white rice.
- Your choice of filling. Traditionally it’s smoked salmon but you can put whatever in there.
Some ingredient ideas are:
- Smoked salmon
- Tuna mixed with mayo and wasabi
- Crab with mayo or crab without mayo
- Anchovies
- Umeboshi (Japanese preserved plum)
- Natto ( natto is fermented soy that’s made into a paste. It should be called nasty, but what’re you gonna do?)
- Chicken teriyaki
- BBQ beef
- Nori sheets cut into 1" wide strips (optional)
- Furikake of your choice (rice seasoning) optional
- Let the rice cool till it’s room temperature. If using the furikake, mix it evenly into the rice at this point. Wet your hands in cold water and place a mound of rice in your palm.
- Make an indention into the mound and place your choice of filling into the well you made.
- Carefully place another mound of rice over the filling and start to shape it by following the pictures to the right. Or skip the pictures, put the rice ball into some plastic wrap and shape it however the hell you want to. Triangles are traditionally made, but let your imagination have some fun.
- Wrap the nori strips around the finished onigiri and you’re done! I like to wait till I’m ready to eat the onigiri to wrap the nori around ‘em: it keeps the nori crispier.
*Barbequed Onigiri recipe courtesy of Kobayashi san.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 or more cups freshly cooked high quality white rice (or regular white rice depending on who it’s for
) - Japanese, Mongolian, or American BBQ sauce. Teriyaki could be used as well, it’s just important to use something that will caramelize when you cook it.
- Nori sheets cut into 1” wide strips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the rice out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet to cool. When the rice is cool enough to handle place a mound of rice into the palm of your hand and form into a ball.
- Place the rice balls onto a cookie sheet and pop ‘em into the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until they start to turn a slight gold color.
- Take the rice balls out of the oven and carefully turn them over. Return the balls to the oven and cook another 10 minutes or till that side is a slight gold color.
- Remove from oven and brush on BBQ sauce. Return to oven and cook another five minutes or till the sauce starts to caramelize. Turn the balls over and glaze the other side. Cook for an additional five minutes.
- Let rice balls cool slightly then wrap with the nori sheets. Enjoy!!!
I like onigiri because it’s so highly portable; you can take it on a picnic, on a plane, to school, wherever. Any time you need to have a mini meal that’s compact yet full of flavor and good stuff is onigiri time.
I liked this recipe because it’s:
- Inexpensive to make, depending on your choice of ingredients.
- A good choice for lunches and it’s designed to be taken anywhere.
- Easy to make.
- Really, really filling.
- Kinda reminds me of sushi but without the hassle and hard labor.
I didn’t like this recipe because it’s:
- Mostly white rice…
The BBQ variety of rice ball makes excellent appetizers or party food and is cheap to prepare. Impress your friends with a truly unique party food next time you throw a bash or need to make something for someone else’s shindig. The filled variety of onigiri is good when you go on picnics or are too lazy (like me) to make an actual involved Japanese meal.
Overall though, onigiri is a small, simple slice of Japanese cooking.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 30 minutes or less (depending on choice of fillings)
- Ingredient Availability: Easy to Moderate (depending on choice of fillings)
damn thanks for the post!! I was totally trying to figure out how to make some (even thogh I make my rice in a rice cooker is that still applicable?)
You’re welcome for the post; I really like making onigiri and it’s not as tough as it looks. As to being able to use rice that was cooked in a rice cooker, the answer is yes.
I bought two things in the past few months that spurred me to make loads of sushi and other rice dishes like onigiri; a 10 cup capacity rice cooker and a 20 pound bag of rice. I’ve never had a hard time making onigiri with rice prepared in the cooker. Just do NOT refrigerate the rice to cool it off nor let it get to cool or it won’t stick together so well.
Wow!!
I love rice… but the original japanese rice is always gluey, for the chopsticks I guess. Do you know how to make the rice sticky? Maybe without BBQ sauce?
@Xangfer
The rice the Japanese use is naturally sticky. It is a short grain variety grown
in Japan. There are similar varieties grown in China, Korea, and Southeast Asia.
If you want “authentic” Japanese rice you will have to look for Oryza sativa var. japonica. You should be able to find it at most asian markets. Some brands to
look for are Hikari, Nishiki, and Tamaki.
If you can’t find any in your area, you can go online. One example is:
http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com
@Xangfer, mochi is right on with the rice. You need this variety of rice to make sushi and rice balls, any other variety just won’t work.
I picked up rice simply called “Sushi rice” from my local grocery store. It’s medium (stock?) californian rice, and it stuck together pretty decently. Just make sure not to add too little water.
@Zenaryu, “Just make sure not to add too little water.” Too true, too true. It just will not stick together if the rice is too dry. Learned that the hard way.
Excellent instructions and a good tip about not cooling the rice in the fridge or it won’t stick properly. I have made this mistake in the past.
Wanda
http://www.only-cookware.com
I was just searching the web to see if there’s anything on onigiri that I may not have known before making them… And I felt like adding my bit too. You can always make onigiri sweet as well. While the rice was still hot, I stirred in about a fourth of a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. It melts and, surprisingly, chocolate and rice are delicious together! Also, soft goat cheese tastes good in the middle of a rice ball, with sesame seed on the outside. I’ve been told that’s “authentic” as well… the sesame seeds… is that true?
@Gretchen, interesting mix there with the rice and chocolate! Actually sounds kinda nice; add some ground nuts and have some peanut butter in the middle and: Reese’s onigiri anyone?
The Japanese do have sweet rice balls which aren’t onigiri, however. These sweet rice balls use mochi rice as well as sushi rice and are filled with anko and are usually covered in anko as well. Those are ohagi/ botamochi. Those are yum!
Yes, sesame seeds (goma) are a fave condiment in Japanese cuisine and are used often in furikake, the rice seasoning that’s mixed in the onigiri rice. I use black sesame seeds (kurogoma) often in Japanese desserts as well. Sesame oil is also used in the oil for cooking tempura. The seeds are used frequently as a garnish, sprinkled on noodles, tofu,and other dishes. Sesame gets around in Japanese cooking and it’s as authentic as yukata at a bon festival ^^b.
yeah sushi rice or short grained japonica rice is best to use for onigiri, sushi etc cause when it’s cooked the grains stick / cling together. it’s great that you’ve shown a step by step pics to doing onigiri, welldone. your onigiri are pretty like tohru’s from the anime fruits basket. oh yea i think rice cookers would be best. that way it wont burn when you use a pot. (sorry i always ruin my rice when i use a pot ^_^ ; ) GO PPL!! COOK ON!
Thanks! I’m going to try making onigiri with brown sushi rice. The brown mochi rice is almost as sticky as the refined version. If the sushi rice isn’t as sticky as the white, I’ll try it with the brown mochi. Health counts!
What if you don’t want to add fillings and just have simple, plain rice balls? Do you need nori still? And is it absolutely necessary to have asian rice? Can’t I just use normal white rice, and try my best with that…? xD Thanks so much for this. I need to bring in some uncomplicated onigiri for my class, and this was a great help <3!