Lunches
Onigiri (Rice Balls)
Ingredients
- 400 g cooked short-grain Japanese rice (2 cups)
- 1 tsp salt
- 60 g salted salmon flakes or umeboshi (2 oz), for filling
- 2 sheets nori, cut into strips
Method
- Cook rice and keep warm; it should be hot enough to shape but cool enough to handle with wet hands.
- Wet hands with water and rub a pinch of salt over palms.
- Take a handful of rice, flatten slightly, and press an indent in the centre for the filling.
- Add filling, then fold rice around it, shaping into a triangle by pressing with the palms and edges of the hands.
- Wrap a strip of nori around the base or fully around the onigiri before serving.
Introduction: Onigiri are hand-shaped rice balls, often wrapped in nori, filled with salted or savoury ingredients, and a mainstay of Japanese lunchboxes, convenience stores and travel food for centuries.
Cultural Background: Onigiri are hand-shaped rice balls, often wrapped in nori, filled with salted or savoury ingredients, and a mainstay of Japanese lunchboxes, convenience stores and travel food for centuries.
Tips: Keep hands wet but not soaking to prevent rice sticking; shape firmly but gently to keep rice grains intact.
Variations: Popular fillings include grilled salted salmon, umeboshi, katsuobushi with soy sauce (okaka), or tuna mayonnaise.
Storage: Best eaten within a few hours; if storing, wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate up to 1 day.
Reheating: Not typically reheated; best at room temperature. If chilled, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before eating.
FAQs:
Q: Why does my onigiri fall apart?
A: The rice may be too dry or not pressed firmly enough; use freshly cooked, sticky short-grain rice.
Q: Can onigiri be vegan?
A: Yes, with fillings like umeboshi, pickled vegetables, or seasoned kelp.
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