Easy Onigiri お握り (Japanese Rice Balls)

Onigiri (お握り), additionally known as omusubi (お結び) or nigirimeshi (握り飯), are Japanese rice balls made with white rice shaped right into a triangular form and wrapped with nori (seaweed)! It’s a well-liked Japanese snack or lunch flavored with numerous fillings and seasonings akin to tuna mayo, umeboshi (pickled plum), salted salmon, and furikake.

Onigiri (お握り) or Japanese rice balls are a handy snack or lunch that is fast and straightforward to make! It requires simply three elements and is prepared in solely 5 minutes! All you want is brief or medium-grain rice, furikake topping, and nori (seaweed) for wrapping.

These Japanese rice balls are a good way to make use of up leftover rice and different sides you might have sitting within the fridge. They’re additionally improbable for meal prep as you’ll be able to have all of your fillings laid out and make onigiri in simply minutes!

How to Make Onigiri – Japanese Rice Balls

1. Shape by hand – Wet your palms with water and rub them along with a pinch of salt. The salt provides extra taste and acts as a preservative whereas the water helps keep away from the rice sticking to your palms (utilizing gloves helps too). Take about ½ cup of heat rice in your palms and firmly however gently mould the rice right into a triangular form.
2. Shape with a mould – Spray a little bit of water and add a pinch of salt to your onigiri mould. Add the suitable quantity of rice to fill the mould and press right down to create a triangular form.
3. Add filling (Optional): If including the filling, create an indentation into the rice earlier than shaping and add about 1 tablespoon. Enclose the filling with rice and form together with your palms or with a mould.

4. Furikake topping: Press the onigiri into the furikake topping to cowl the perimeters or sprinkle on high.
5. Nori wrapper: Wrap the onigiri with the strip of nori seaweed if serving instantly. If making forward, wait till proper earlier than serving so as to add the nori as it may get soggy from the moisture from the rice. A crisp sheet of nori is crucial for good onigiri.

Serve instantly whereas the rice remains to be heat or you’ll be able to refrigerate them and serve later. To reheat, wrap the onigiri in a moist paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds at a time.

Onigiri Fillings

• Salted salmon (shiozake)
• Umeboshi (pickled plum)
• Chicken teriyaki or karaage
• Fish roe – mentaiko or tarako
• Okaka (bonito flakes)
• Kombu – seasoned kelp
• Tuna mayo – Tuna blended with mayo, salt, and pepper
• Kani (crab or imitation crab stick)
• Unagi (eel)
• Egg – hard-boiled and chopped
• Vegetables – spinach or mushrooms

Onigiri Shapes and Molds

Traditionally onigiri is formed right into a triangle however you’ll be able to type them into rectangles, balls, and even cute animal shapes utilizing nori and furikake as ornament.

Cute onigiri molds within the form of animals are used for kids’s bento bins and will be discovered on Amazon or Daiso.

Variations

• Healthy – Use sticky brown rice and add wholesome fillings akin to lean protein and greens.
• Vegetarian – Opt for vegetarian furikake as some varieties comprise seafood. Use vegetable fillings akin to umeboshi, kombu, spinach, and mushrooms.
• Plain – Onigiri in its easiest type is made with simply plain rice with no filling however nonetheless makes use of a nori wrapper.
• Hot or chilly – Onigiri will be eaten scorching or chilly however I want it a bit of heat so the rice remains to be delicate and tender.
• Wrapper – Traditionally a nori wrapper is used however you’ll be able to strive sushi soy paper or a shiso leaf.
• Onigiri Chazuke – Add onigiri to a bowl and pour heat dashi or inexperienced tea over it for a comforting meal.