Think of onigiri, a Japanese comfort food, as a rice sandwich! Handheld, great on the go, and filling; with every variety of flavor you can imagine. These little rice balls are cute, delicious, and convenient– perfect for using up leftovers, in a lunch box, or for a satisfying snack.
When it comes to how to make onigiri, there are just a few things you should know. First, short or medium grain rice, (such as sushi rice or calrose rice,) must be used. Long grain rice, such as jasmine, doesn’t have the starchy sticking power needed to hold together and form shapes. Second, using salt water on your hands when forming the onigiri is also a must– salt water both seasons the rice and helps preserve it for eating later. Third, because of the density of the rice, strong flavors make the best onigiri fillings. Traditional okaka, a blend of bonito flakes and soy sauce, is my favorite! Other traditional fillings include umeboshi (pickled plum) and tuna and kewpie mayonnaise, but you can essentially put anything in onigiri! I added chopped quick pickled radishes to some of mine and it was delicious. See how to make your own quick pickles here — use rice vinegar in place of white vinegar!
How To Make Onigiri + Onigiri Ideas
Onigiri
Ingredients
Rice Mix-In Ideas:
- julienned shisho or perilla leaves
- sautéed garlic chives cut into 1" long pieces
Filling ideas:
- traditional flaked tuna + mayonnaise I like kewpie mayo!
- traditional okaka: 2 tbsp dried bonito flakes + 1 tbsp soy sauce
- traditional omeboshi (pickled plum)
- quick pickled vegetables chopped
- literally anything!
Shape Ideas:
- triangle
- oval
- square
- cylinder
- ball
- disk
Topping Ideas:
- furikake
- toasted sesame seeds
- black sesame seeds
Nori Wrap Ideas:
- full wrap
- strip
- no wrap
- design or faces use a hole punch on the nori for eyes
For The Onigiri:
- short grain or medium grain rice I used medium grain calrose rice. Sushi rice will also work! Long grain rice such as jasmine will not work
- water
- salt,
Instructions
- Before making the rice, prepare the desired fillings, toppings, mix-ins, and nori wrappers. The onigiri needs to be shaped when the rice is still warm to stick together, so having your fillings prepared before you make the rice will be helpful!
Make The Rice:
- Add the rice to a heavy bottomed pot and cover with several inches of cold water. Use your hand to swirl the rice in the water, then slowly pour off the water. Repeat this this rinsing process three more times. After rinsing, shake the rice into an even layer. Place the tip of your pointer finger on the surface of the rice, then cover the rice with cold water up to the first knuckle of your pointer finger (about ¾ of an inch of water above the surface of the rice.)
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil until most of the water is no longer visible and tunnels of steam are formed in the surface of the rice (it will look like pencil sized holes in the surface of the rice.)
- Cover the rice, reduce heat to low, and cook 30 minutes more. After 30 minutes, fluff the rice with a fork. If needed, cover and continue to cook a few minutes more.
- Remove from the heat, uncover, and allow to cool until warm.
Make The Onigiri:
- While the rice cools, combine 1 tsp salt and 1 cup of warm water. Stir until the salt dissolves completely and set aside.
- When the rice is cool enough to handle, wet your hands with the salt water and scoop out ¼ cup of warm rice. Shape the rice into your desired shape.
- If adding mix-ins, mix the ingredients with the rice in your hands and then shape.
- If adding filling, make an 1 inch indent in the center of the rice, and add the filling into the indent. Then add a bit of rice over top of the filling to seal, and form into your desired shape. Use more salt water on your hands as needed.
- If you want to sear your onigiri, heat a heavy bottomed pan over high heat. Coat the base of the pan with a thin layer of neutral, high smoke point oil. When the oil is hot, add the onigiri to the pan and allow to sear undisturbed until crisp, about 2-3 minutes. Sear on one side or both sides. If the onigiri is sticking when you try to flip it or remove it from the pan, it simply has not seared enough. Give it a little more time!
- Roll your onigiri in toppings if you like. If eating right way, you can add your nori wrappers now. If you are storing the onigiri, wrap individually in plastic wrap, then wrap in a thick kitchen towel and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The towel with protect the rice from getting too cold and hard. Add the nori just before eating so it doesn’t get soggy!
Tell me what you think in the comments below!
