Tunamayo Onigiri Rice Balls (ツナマヨおにぎり）

Easy but satisfying tuna mayo onigiri are the go-to for a handy and attractive meal! These Japanese rice balls are stuffed with a creamy tuna and mayo combo and wrapped in nori seaweed. Onigiri are an excellent well-liked Japanese meals and best-selling merchandise at comfort shops in Japan as a result of they’re fast and straightforward to eat on the go however are nonetheless wholesome and filling. Tuna mayo is a traditional onigiri taste and is one that everybody loves. Observe together with this tuna mayo onigiri recipe to learn to make these rice balls at residence for a scrumptious snack or mild meal or so as to add to a bento field!

What’s Tuna Mayo Onigiri?

Tuna mayo onigiri is a sort of onigiri (rice ball) that’s stuffed with a mix of canned tuna and Japanese mayo. The tuna filling sits within the centre of the onigiri which is usually formed right into a triangle and wrapped in a nori sheet. The mix of the savory tuna and creamy mayonnaise creates a easy but scrumptious flavour that completely matches the plain cooked rice. It’s a well-liked onigiri alternative and may be present in comfort shops, supermarkets, and specialty onigiri retailers in Japan. It’s additionally straightforward to make at residence so as to add to bento packing containers, as a part of a predominant course, or as a snack.

Substances Wanted for Tuna Mayo Onigiri

To make the proper tunamayo onigiri, you’ll need the next important components:

• Cooked Japanese short-grain rice : select a high-quality short-grain rice, ideally Japanese quick grain rice, for the very best texture and taste. Some rice manufacturers exterior of Japan label the sort of rice as “sushi rice” however it may be used to make onigiri too. The one distinction is that for sushi, the rice must be seasoned with sushi vinegar after cooking the rice however this isn’t needed for onigiri. Don’t use medium or long-grain rice, it’s not the precise texture and received’t maintain the onigiri collectively. 
• Canned tuna : Use canned tuna in water and drain it. 
• Mayonnaise : use Japanese mayonnaise (I like to recommend Kewpie mayo) as a result of it provides richness and taste to the filling. Japanese mayo is totally different from American mayo as a result of solely the yolk is used as an alternative of the entire egg.
• Salt : add a pinch of salt to reinforce the flavour of the rice or tuna.
• Nori seaweed sheets : Wrap the onigiri with nori for taste and to supply a handy deal with for consuming.
• Non-obligatory toppings : You possibly can garnish the onigiri with non-obligatory toppings comparable to sesame seeds or furikake (Japanese rice seasoning).

Step-by-Step Directions for Making Tunamayo Onigiri

Listed here are the straightforward steps for this tuna onigiri recipe:

1. Prepare dinner the rice: Rinse the Japanese short-grain rice till the water runs clear. Prepare dinner the rice in keeping with the package deal directions or utilizing a rice cooker. When you don’t have a rice cooker and wish an instruction to cook dinner rice like Japanese do, learn the recipe right here.
2. Put together the filling: In a bowl, combine the drained and flaked tuna with Japanese mayonnaise. Modify the components to style.
3. Form the onigiri : There are primarily 3 ways to form onigiri right into a triangle form. It may be achieved by hand with and with no plastic wrap or utilizing a mildew. 
4. With  plastic wrap – place some plastic wrap over a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup of cooked rice over the plastic wrap. Make a small properly within the centre of the rice and fill with a spoonful of the tuna mayo combination. Prime with one other 1/2 cup of cooked rice. Carry up the plastic wrap and wrap across the rice ball to form.
5. With out a plastic wrap – Moist your palms with water to stop the rice from sticking. Take 1/2 cup of cooked rice and gently flatten in within the palm of your hand. Place a spoonful of the tuna mayo filling within the centre of the rice. Prime with one other 1/2 cup of rice and fold the rice across the filling, shaping it right into a triangle. If you’re undecided how you can make triangle form, see this put up.
6. Utilizing an onigiri mildew – submerge the onigiri mildew in a bowl of water to moist the mildew to keep away from rice sticking to it. Fill the underside of the mildew with 1/2 cup of cooked rice. make a small properly within the centre of the rice and fill with a spoonful of the tuna mayo combination. Prime with one other 1/2 cup of rice and press firmly with the lid of the mildew.
7. Wrap with nori: If desired, wrap the onigiri with a sheet of nori seaweed. The nori will present a handy deal with for consuming and add a refined taste.
8. Repeat: Repeat the shaping and wrapping course of till you will have made the specified variety of tunamayo onigiri.

Variations for Tunamayo Onigiri

Whereas the traditional Tunamayo Onigiri is already scrumptious by itself, you can too experiment with inventive variations so as to add a twist to the normal recipe. Listed here are some concepts:

• Spicy Tuna Onigiri: Add a kick of warmth by mixing spicy mayonnaise or sriracha sauce into the tuna mayo filling.
• Avocado Tunamayo Onigiri: Add slices of creamy avocado to the filling for an additional layer of richness and taste.
• Teriyaki Tunamayo Onigiri: Drizzle teriyaki sauce over the onigiri or combine it into the tuna mayo filling for a candy and savory twist.
• Pickled Vegetable Tunamayo Onigiri: Add pickled greens, comparable to takuan (pickled daikon radish) or umeboshi (pickled plum), to the filling for a tangy and refreshing style.
• Soy sauce: Add soy sauce to the tuna mayo filling so as to add flavour and a contact of saltiness.

Serving Strategies and Pairing Concepts for Tunamayo Onigiri  

Tunamayo onigiri may be loved by itself as a satisfying snack or mixed with different dishes for an entire meal. Listed here are some serving recommendations and pairing concepts :

• Bento field: Pack tunamayo onigiri in a bento field together with different Japanese-inspired objects, comparable to tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), salted salmon, ebifry, teriyaki meatballs, edamame, and pickled greens.
• Salad: Serve tunamayo onigiri with contemporary salad comparable to cucumber sunomono, Asian cucumber salad, gomaae, or shiraae for a light-weight and refreshing meal.
• Miso soup: Get pleasure from tunamayo onigiri alongside a bowl of sizzling miso soup for a comforting and nourishing mixture.
• Japanese tea: Pair tunamayo onigiri with a cup of inexperienced tea, hojicha tea, or barley tea for a soothing drink to go together with the onigiri.