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Full of quite a lot of fillings and flavors, Onigiri, or Japanese Rice Balls, make a really perfect fast snack and a enjoyable different to sandwiches for lunch. On this recipe, you‘ll learn to make onigiri utilizing frequent components for rice balls in Japan.
Onigiri (おにぎり), generally referred to as Omusubi (おむすび), are Japanese rice balls. They’re what I name the magical meals of the Japanese. Tender, toothsome rice made transportable, they’re the basic consolation meals for picnics (particularly through the cherry blossom viewing), bento lunch containers, fast grab-and-go snacks, mountaineering journeys, film snacks, and many others.
Rising up in Japan, I’ve the fondest recollections of serving to my mother form freshly cooked rice into triangles and pack them neatly into my bento containers earlier than operating off to highschool.
What’s Onigiri (Omusubi)?
Onigiri (おにぎり) are Japanese rice balls manufactured from steamed rice that you just compress right into a triangular, ball, or cylinder form and are often wrapped in a nori seaweed sheet. You possibly can taste them evenly with simply salt or add quite a lot of fillings.
The phrase “onigiri” is extra generally used all through Japan, but it surely’s also called nigirimeshi (握り飯) or omusubi (おむすび).
Adored by all ages, onigiri show their significance and recognition in Japanese on a regular basis lives. We make rice balls for college and work lunches and for a lot of out of doors actions and occasions. In some methods, they’re the Japanese thought of power bars. We snack on onigiri after we want a fast enhance of power and sustenance.
Onigiri’s Historical past
Deemed because the very first touring meals, onigiri have been invented earlier than the existence of refrigeration as a way to protect contemporary rice longer so it could possibly be introduced alongside to feed vacationers, samurai, troopers on the street, or farmers within the farm fields.
The strategy was to fill the rice with a salty or bitter ingredient as pure preservatives and evenly compact them into transportable meals that may be carried alongside and eaten with fingers. To maintain the rice protected, salt was first utilized in making the onigiri.
In the present day you could find these rice balls in so many types and varieties, however the fundamentals of creating onigiri stay the identical.
When you’re an anime or manga (Japanese comics) fan, you will have more than likely seen onigiri present up in lots of storylines of those cultural outputs. Probably the most memorable look must be in a scene in Spirited Away, the place a boy named Haku gives Chihiro, the principle character, some onigiri within the hope of comforting her. Because the younger woman took a chunk of the rice ball, tears began rolling down her cheeks. It tells the highly effective connection between meals and residential and the feelings concerned. As you possibly can see, onigiri means loads to the Japanese.
Substances for Onigiri
For probably the most fundamental and comforting onigiri, you’ll want solely two components. That’s proper! You want steamed rice and good-quality nori seaweed.
- Japanese Quick-Grain Rice – Generally labeled as sushi rice exterior of Japan, Japanese short-grain rice is the rice that we use in most Japanese cooking. It offers you the proper chewy, tender, and barely sticky texture. I personally advocate Koshihikari. Please don’t substitute it with jasmine or some other kinds of rice as they may crumble. Want to study extra about Japanese rice? Learn this put up.
- Nori Seaweed – Yow will discover it at Japanese/Asian grocers, well-stocked grocery shops, or on-line.
- Optionally available Fillings – We’ll talk about them beneath.
Find out how to Make Onigiri
- Cook dinner short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the range, On the spot Pot, or donabe.
- Utilizing a mould or your fingers, make rice balls. Don’t overlook to salt rice balls for meals security. Fillings are elective and I share the right way to stuff rice balls with a filling within the recipe card.
- Wrap the rice ball with nori seaweed.
What’s the Greatest Rice Cooker
To make the peerlessly steamed rice for onigiri, I like to make use of my Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB Rice Cooker. It makes fluffy rice each time, and it’s the finest Japanese rice cooker I’ve ever used! You will get it on Amazon for $458.29, and it’s nicely value it in case you cook dinner a number of rice.
Onigiri Filling
Sure, you possibly can fill onigiri with no matter your coronary heart needs, however I’ll share with you a number of the most typical fillings for onigiri in Japan.
- shake [pronounced as sha-keh] (salted salmon)
- umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum)
- okaka (bonito flakes moistened with soy sauce)
- kombu (simmered kombu seaweed)
- tuna mayo (canned tuna with Japanese mayonnaise)
- mentaiko or tarako ((spicy) salted cod roe)
- furikake (rice seasonings to sprinkle throughout)
Now if you’re able to get artistic, look no additional than your dinner leftovers. I’ve used my leftovers from Rooster Karaage and Shrimp Tempura to fill my onigiri. As a substitute of plain steamed rice, you can too use Takikomi Gohan (blended rice) or Corn Rice.
Onigiri Shapes and Mould
You can also make many alternative shapes of onigiri, and the commonest ones are:
- Triangular
- Cylindrical (form of rice bale)
- Spherical/round
- Cylindrical
- Artistic – Some dwelling cooks even take their onigiri to a different excessive style degree by shaping the rice balls into so many cute animals or character-based shapes!
On this up to date recipe put up, I used an onigiri mould to exhibit the right way to use it. I discover it simpler to portion every onigiri utilizing the mould.
Find out how to Wrap Nori
There are other ways to wrap the nori across the rice balls. You possibly can reduce a sheet of nori into skinny strips and wrap the nori across the cylindrical or triangular rice ball form (that is extra like a ornament).
You too can reduce the nori sheet in thirds and wrap the rice ball with the nori.
Some favor to wrap the rice balls when they’re heat so the nori will stick with the rice (however it will likely be soggy/moist) however most individuals favor to maintain the nori as crisp as potential.
You should purchase this onigiri plastic wrapper, which lets you preserve the nori crispy till you’re able to eat (much like Japanese comfort store-style onigiri). Or, examine the video beneath to see how one can make a DIY plastic wrap.
Cooking Ideas and Methods
- Use freshly cooked rice. I strongly advocate utilizing freshly cooked rice as a substitute of older rice if you make onigiri. Switch the cooked rice to a big bowl, baking sheet, or sushi oke (hangiri). Let cool barely. The rice ought to be heat when making onigiri.
- Moist and salt your fingers. It’s vital to moist your fingers with water to stop the rice from sticking. Put together a bowl of water subsequent to your working station. Salt each your fingers and rub to unfold throughout. Salting helps to taste and to protect the onigiri for an extended time.
- Give simply sufficient stress. Your fingers ought to be agency sufficient when urgent the onigiri so the rice doesn’t crumble if you form it. You don’t need to squeeze the rice too tight. Rotate the rice balls each time you give light stress. After rotating 3-5 occasions, the rice ball ought to be in fine condition.
- Establish your rice ball with a filling. When you add a filling, place a small quantity of the filling on the tip of the rice ball so you possibly can establish which filling is inside.
- Maintain the rice and rice balls lined with a plastic or a humid towel so the rice won’t dry out rapidly.
- Wrap the nori proper earlier than you serve, in case you like your nori to be crispy. Some onigiri outlets promote onigiri that has nori wrapped round it already. We get pleasure from each types, so it’s as much as your desire.
Frequent Requested Questions
Why does my nori get soggy and moist?
Nori will get soggy as quickly because it absorbs moisture. When you favor crispy nori in your onigiri, I like to recommend wrapping the nori proper earlier than you eat. Be sure the nori is saved in a resealable bag to keep away from getting stale.
Why does my nori get gummy?
I like to recommend getting higher high quality nori, ideally imported from Japan. It’s very unlucky however most nori out there in grocery shops right here just isn’t flavorful and the feel tends to get gummy when moist/moist. I all the time get imported nori from Japan (I often decide the most costly nori at Nijiya Market) and it’s fairly good. We will get higher high quality nori in Japan at an honest worth, however not exterior of Japan but.
Do I’ve to make onigiri proper earlier than I pack for lunch?
If you wish to make onigiri for lunch the following day however don’t need to get up early, right here’s my tip. You possibly can wrap the completed onigiri (in plastic wrap) with a thick kitchen towel. The kitchen towel protects the rice balls from being too chilly within the fridge. Rice will get onerous within the fridge however with this straightforward trick, your onigiri will probably be cool sufficient to remain protected.
Do you serve onigiri chilly?
You possibly can get pleasure from onigiri heat or at room temperature, in order that they’re excellent in your lunchbox or as a transportable snack on the go. You possibly can even plate them up as a tasty appetizer!
Do you assume I can contain my youngsters in making rice balls?
Sure! The very best half about making onigiri at house is you possibly can all the time have interaction your little ones as their ‘craft day within the kitchen.’ Make it enjoyable and gratifying! You should utilize this onigiri mould to make it simpler to create a triangle form.
Like the whole lot else, apply makes excellent in the case of making onigiri. For a visible information, you possibly can watch my video and see the step-by-step directions beneath.
Is onigiri sushi?
For the uninitiated, onigiri is typically misunderstood as a kind of sushi however they aren’t.
One of many key variations between onigiri and sushi is that onigiri begins from a base of plain steamed rice, whereas sushi is manufactured from Sushi Rice (steamed rice seasoned with vinegar, salt, and sugar).
👉🏻 See extra particulars in How To Cook dinner Japanese Rice and How To Make Sushi Rice.
The place can I get onigiri?
Exterior of the house, you possibly can actually discover rice balls in every single place in Japan: konbini comfort shops, airports, cute cafes, and specialty shops.
Right here within the US, you could find them at Japanese grocery shops.
Extra Onigiri Recipes and Variations
We additionally get pleasure from onigiri in these in style variations:
Want to study extra about Japanese cooking? Join our free publication to obtain cooking ideas & recipe updates! And keep in contact with me on Fb, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
Full of quite a lot of fillings and flavors, Onigiri or Japanese Rice Balls make a really perfect, fast snack and a enjoyable different to sandwiches for lunch. On this recipe, you‘ll learn to make these onigiri utilizing frequent fillings for rice balls in Japan.
Servings: 9 onigiri (13 with a mould)
Substances
For the Japanese Salted Salmon Filling (fast model)
For the Tuna Mayo Filling
Stop your display screen from going darkish
Directions
To Put together the Steamed Rice
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To measure 2¼ cups raw Japanese short-grain white rice, overfill a US cup measure (a ¾-cup measure works nicely for this) or a rice cooker cup with raw short-grain rice and degree it off. Put the rice in a big bowl. Repeat till you will have the quantity of rice you want. Tip: Please word that 2¼ cups (450 g, 3 rice cooker cups) of raw Japanese short-grain rice yield 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked white rice. That is sufficient for 9 onigiri rice balls (usually 110 g every). One cup of cooked white rice weighs about 5.3 oz (150 g).
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Subsequent, rinse and wash the short-grain white rice and cook dinner it with a rice cooker, pot over a range, On the spot Pot, or donabe. Please comply with the detailed directions in any one in every of these posts for the right way to rinse and cook dinner the rice. Right here, I‘m including 2½ cups water to the drained rice in a rice cooker. Tip: The rice-to-water ratio is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2) for Japanese short-grain white rice. This rice requires a soaking time of 20–half-hour. Please learn this weblog put up for an in depth rationalization.
To Put together the Onigiri Fillings
To Form the Onigiri
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Collect all of the components to make the onigiri and a bowl stuffed with water in your fingers. In case you are shaping the onigiri along with your fingers, switch the freshly cooked rice to a big bowl, baking sheet, or sushi oke (hangiri) and let it cool barely till it‘s cool sufficient to deal with. The rice ought to be heat when making onigiri.
Technique 1: With an Onigiri Mould
Technique 2: With Your Palms
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First, moist each of your palms with a little bit of water to stop the rice from sticking to your fingers. Then, apply some Diamond Crystal kosher salt and unfold it on each palms. How a lot salt? I dip 2–3 fingers within the kosher salt, as pictured beneath. In case you are utilizing desk salt, use half the quantity because it’s saltier than kosher salt.
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Scoop a handful (about ⅓ cup, 50 g) of barely cooled however nonetheless sizzling rice onto your left (non-dominant) hand. Tip: Your left hand holds the rice ball and flattens the onigiri’s sides. At all times preserve it beneath the onigiri. Create a small nicely (indentation) within the heart of the rice. Add 1–2 tsp of 1 form of filling inside.
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Scoop some extra rice (one other ⅓ cup, 50 g) to cowl your filling utterly. Mould the rice along with your fingers and gently press the rice across the filling to kind the rice right into a ball.
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Bend your proper (dominant) hand barely to kind a “mountain” form and place it on high of the rice. Your proper hand varieties the triangle corners of the onigiri. At all times preserve it on high of the rice ball.Gently press the rice along with your high hand to make a triangle nook. Tip: Make your fingers simply agency sufficient so the onigiri doesn’t crumble, however don’t squeeze too tightly. Attempt to preserve the density of the rice ball as ethereal as potential.On the similar time, squeeze the fingers and heel of your backside (left) hand on both facet of the onigiri to softly press the edges flat.Now, rotate the triangle nook you simply made towards you. I take advantage of a single upward movement to barely toss the rice ball in my backside hand whereas I take advantage of my high hand to rotate it towards me clockwise (since I’m right-handed). The primary nook will now level at you whereas the tip of the second nook factors up.Repeat the “press and rotate” steps to kind the second and third triangle corners. Then press and rotate 2–3 extra occasions to complete shaping the triangle.
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Flip the rice ball on its facet and press gently to flatten one facet; repeat on the opposite facet. Then, press and rotate one final time. Switch to a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining rice.
Technique 3: Utilizing Plastic Wrap
To Coat with the Furikake
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Bear in mind, dip your fingers earlier than touching the onigiri to stop the rice from sticking to your fingers.
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Coat the three sides of the onigiri with furikake (rice seasoning).
To Wrap with the Nori and Serve
To Retailer
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When you‘d wish to pack Onigiri in your lunch, preserve it cool and eat it inside 6 hours. Onigiri (or any rice dish) will get onerous if you refrigerate it. The chilly air makes the rice dry and onerous. I don‘t advocate making onigiri too far forward of time. But when you actually need to, my trick is to wrap the onigiri with thick kitchen towels and retailer it within the fridge. The onigiri will probably be cool and protected however shouldn’t get chilly.
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In case your onigiri has dried out a bit, you possibly can grill it in a frying pan and baste it with soy sauce to make Yaki Onigiri.
Vitamin
Vitamin Info
Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
Quantity per Serving
% Day by day Worth*
* % Day by day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie food plan.
Editor’s Be aware: The put up was initially revealed on September 5, 2012. It was up to date with extra useful content material and new step-by-step and last pictures on September 10, 2023. The put up was republished with a brand new video on Might 10, 2024.
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