Onigiri

Name: Onigiri
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 360ml Japanese Short-Grain Rice; 430ml Water, for cooking rice; 8 Umeboshis, pickled plum, pitted; 200g Salmon Fillets, skin-on; 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt, to salt the salmon before grilling, then flake; 10g Katsuobushi, bonito flakes; 1 tbsp Soy Sauce, mix together for okaka; 80g Kombu Tsukudani; 4 sheets of Nori Sheets, cut in half to make 8 strips; 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt, for lightly salting rice/exterior and hands; Some Cold Water, for wetting hands while shaping

Onigiri are comforting Japanese rice balls — tender, lightly seasoned rice formed around savory fillings like salted salmon, umeboshi, or kombu tsukudani, then wrapped in crisp nori for a perfect handheld snack. These simple rice triangles are salty, slightly tangy or smoky depending on the filling, and utterly satisfying whether packed for lunch or enjoyed warm at home. Follow the steps below to make classic onigiri with a few tasty filling options.

Onigiri are comforting Japanese rice balls — tender, lightly seasoned rice formed around savory fillings like salted salmon, umebo... Show more

Traditional Japanese Recipe

Health Grade

B- · Healthy

Rating

4.6

Time

1 hr

Price

2,30 €

Calories

412 kcal

low calorie

easy

meal prep

low fat

Method

Wash the rice

Rinse the Japanese Short-Grain Rice in a bowl with running water, swishing it gently with your hand, then pour off the cloudy water and repeat until the water is only lightly cloudy. Drain it well so the grains cook up fluffy instead of soggy.

Cook the rice

Combine the rinsed rice with the Water (for cooking rice) in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 12 minutes; turn off the heat and let it steam, still covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff it gently with a rice paddle or spoon when the grains are tender and glossy.

Season the salmon

Pat the Salmon Fillets (skin-on) dry and sprinkle them evenly with the Fine Sea Salt (to salt the salmon before grilling, then flake). Let them sit while you heat the grill, so the surface dries a little and browns better.

Grill the salmon

Grill the salmon skin-side down first, over medium-high heat, until the skin crisps and the fish is opaque about halfway up, 4 minutes. Flip carefully and grill for 2 minutes more, just until the salmon flakes easily. Transfer it to a plate and let it cool enough to handle, then flake the flesh into bite-size pieces and set it aside.

Prep the fillings

Flake the cooled salmon into bite-size pieces and set it aside. In a small bowl, mix the Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) with the Soy Sauce (mix together for okaka) until the flakes are evenly moistened for an okaka filling. Break the Umeboshi (pickled plum, pitted) into small pieces and set them in one bowl, and spoon the Kombu Tsukudani into another bowl. Cut each Nori Sheets in half so you have 8 strips ready for wrapping.

Shape the onigiri

While the rice is still warm, divide it into 8 equal portions. Lightly salt your hands with a little of the remaining fine sea salt, dip your palms in Cold Water, and give the outside of each rice portion a faint salt dusting as you shape it into a triangle or tight ball. Make a small indentation in the center, add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling—some umeboshi, some salmon, some okaka, or some kombu tsukudani—then press the rice around it until sealed. Rewet your hands as needed so the rice doesn’t stick.

Wrap and serve

Wrap a strip of nori around each onigiri just before serving so it stays crisp, or press it on now if you prefer softer seaweed. Arrange them on a plate and eat right away.