Elegant appetizer for a Japanese meal or addition to a bento box. Rice balls stuffed with fish, chicken, or other fillings of choice are a great, slightly less work-intensive alternative to sushi night.
2 cups Japanese style rice
1 sheet toasted nori seaweed (optional)
soy sauce
sesame seeds, if desired
Filling of choice
chopped pickles
flaked salmon or tuna
pickled plum (umeboshi)
chopped barbecued chicken
Prepare the rice as directed on the package. Fluff the cooked rice with a rice paddle or wooden spoon.
Cut nori crosswise into 1-inch wide strips.
With clean, wet hands, place about 1/2 cup rice into your cupped hand and form into a disk shape. Make a hole in the center of the rice and tuck in the fillings. Season with soy sauce, to taste.
Cover the filling by closing the rice around it and mold it into a disk or triangular shape, pressing just hard enough to hold it together.
Cover one edge of the rice with a strip of nori and sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice shapes, if desired.
Serve the onigiri immediately.
Wet your hands with water to prevent the rice from sticking while shaping the onigiri.
Be gentle when forming the onigiri to avoid crushing the rice grains.
Serve onigiri with a side of soy sauce or wasabi.
Use a rice cooker for perfectly cooked rice.
Flavor the rice with furikake (Japanese rice seasoning) for added taste.
Pair onigiri with miso soup and a salad.
Japanese rice is stickier and works best for onigiri, but in a pinch, you can use other short-grain rice varieties.
Nori adds flavor and makes the onigiri easier to hold, but it's optional.
You can prepare them ahead, but they taste best when fresh. Store in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
The rice should be sticky and moist, not too dry or too wet.
You can experiment with various fillings like vegetables, cooked meats, or other pickled items.
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Yes, soy sauce is optional and can be omitted or substituted with other seasonings.
Use tamari, which is a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce.
Yes, you can shape them into balls, triangles, or any shape you prefer.
Yes, use vegan fillings and omit any animal-based ingredients.
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