Cheese Stick Onigiri Recipes

ONIGIRI (JAPANESE RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients.

CHEESE STICK ONIGIRI

Steps:

• Prep: Begin by cooking the rice until tender and fluffy. Do not rinse the rice of its starches before cooking because you want the starch to act as a sticking agent later.
• While the rice is cooking, mix the salt and the warm water into a bowl until dissolved. Taste to test saltiness, add more salt if needed. Set aside.
• Next, add together the Soy Sauce, Mirin, and the sugar cube into another bowl.
• Take the cheese stick and chop finely. Then take 1/4 of the pieces and squish into a small ball with your hands. Make 4 balls total and place them into the Soy Sauce mixture.
• When the rice is done place into a large bowl. Fluff the rice until it is hot, but not scorching. (You don't want to burn yourself!).
• Making the Onigiri: First, dip your clean hands (I suggest removing all jewelry) into the bowl of warm saltwater.
• Take a portion of the rice and spread it onto the palm of your hand. Make a small depression in the middle.
• Place one cheese ball into the depression and close the rice layer on top of itself, adding more rice from the bowl to help seal the cheese inches.
• Repeat above steps. If you find that the rice is sticking to your hands, just rewet them in the saltwater.
• Eat warm, or pack them in your bag as a snack for later!

CHEESE ON A STICK

Steps:

• Heat 2 inches of oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pot to 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, combine the pancake mix, cornmeal and egg in a large bowl. Add 3 cups of water and stir until a thick batter forms. The batter should be thick but pourable; thin with a little more water if needed. Pour the batter into a glass tall enough to completely immerse the length of the cheese.
• Skewer each piece of cheese on a bamboo or wooden chopstick.
• To fry: In batches of three, dip the skewered cheese into the batter, ensuring each piece is covered completely. Slowly lower the cheese into the hot oil. Very quickly, flip the cheese over so all parts of the batter have a chance to set and begin cooking. Cook, flipping frequently, until golden and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Serve warm with warm marinara sauce on the side.

CHEESE STICKS

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat cheese spread, butter and egg white until fluffy. Cut crust from bread. Slice bread 1 in. thick; cut each slice into 1-in. strips. Spread the cheese mixture on all sides of each strip and place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm. Unbaked cheese sticks may be frozen for up to 4 months. Bake as directed (they do not need to be thawed first).

ONIGIRI 3 WAYS

Steps:

• Cover the rice with cold water in a medium bowl, swirl the rice, pour off the water and repeat until the water is clear, 4 or 5 times. This will help to remove the excess starch. Drain the rice and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add 1 3/4 cups cold water and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. (Alternatively, cook the rice in a rice cooker.) Transfer the rice to a large glass bowl and let cool slightly. Using a glass bowl will let you see if there's any pooling at the bottom when the vinegar is added in the next step.
• Stir the sugar with 1 tablespoon hot water in a small bowl until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add the vinegar and stir until combined. Drizzle over the rice and fold gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the rice cool slightly. This is a good time to make the filling of your choice.
• To assemble each onigiri: Lightly dip your fingertips in a small bowl of warm water then rub your hands together to wet them. Scoop just over 1/3 cup of the rice and gently flatten into a triangular patty about 1 inch thick and 3 inches wide on each side. Using your thumb or index finger, make a little indentation in the center and fill with about 1 tablespoon of the tuna mayo or egg salad, or 1 1/2 teaspoons of the umeboshi paste. Cover the filling with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the remaining rice, pinching the sides of the onigiri to completely enclose the filling. Be sure to gently pack the onigiri, without too much pressure, otherwise the rice will become too dense.
• Optional for finishing: For the tuna mayo onigiri, gently roll all sides in the furikake. For the umeboshi onigiri, dab a bit of the remaining umeboshi paste on one tip of the triangle. For the egg salad, sprinkle some of the togarashi on one tip of the triangle.
• When ready to serve, place the onigiri in the center of a nori strip and wrap it, tucking the ends into the sides of the onigiri. Enjoy immediately to prevent the nori from becoming soggy. (The onigiri can be made ahead of time but do not add the nori until ready to eat.)
• To help differentiate the fillings, you can wrap or decorate the onigiri with the nori in different ways. For example, fully wrap the ones with tuna mayo; add a square piece of nori to the ones with umeboshi; and wrap a narrow strip around the ones with egg salad.
• Combine the tuna with the mayonnaise, soy sauce and sriracha in a medium bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold until well combined. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Makes a heaping 1/2 cup.
• Combine the umeboshi with the sugar and honey in a small bowl. Mash with a fork until a paste forms. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water and add the vinegar. Bring to a boil, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, then peel.
• Finely chop 2 of the eggs and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, white pepper, and togarashi and fold until well combined. Roughly chop the 1 remaining egg, add it to the bowl, and fold until just combined. This will give the egg salad two different textures, which is traditional in Japanese egg salad sandos. Use right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Makes 3/4 cup.