How To Make Onigiri Recipes

ONIGIRI (JAPANESE RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups water, rice, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking, until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool rice until easily handled, about 10 minutes.
• Fill a small bowl with water. Place 2 tablespoons of salt in another small bowl.
• Dip hands in water and rub salt over hands. Take a handful of warm rice and form it into a ball. Gently squish ball; with your hands in an "L" or "C" shape, apply gentle pressure to the sides to make a triangle shape.
• Wrap a strip of nori around the triangle, using a bit of water to help it stick if necessary.

HOW TO MAKE ONIGIRI

Steps:

• Wash 2 cups (400 g) of sushi rice in a large bowl. Pour the rice into a mixing bowl and set it in the sink under lukewarm water. Gently swirl the rice around the bowl a few times to eliminate the dirt. Carefully pour out the water when you're done. The kind of rice you need is short-grain Japanese sushi rice. It may be sold as "sushi rice" or under a similar label. Some Italian medium-grain rices like arborio can be used as a substitute. If you have a strainer, you can use it to wash the rice. Put the rice in and stir it while the water flows over it.
• Soak the rice under water for 30 minutes, then drain it and let it rest. Submerge the rice in lukewarm water again. After it is done soaking, use a strainer to drain the rice. Then, set the rice aside for about 15 minutes to dry out any remaining moisture. Washing and drying the rice not only cleans it but improves its flavor. It won't make the rice less sticky.
• Combine rice and water in a covered cooking pot. Pour the soaked rice into the pot, then add 2.5 cups (590 mL) of lukewarm water. Make sure all of the rice is submerged in the water, and remember to cover the pot when you're done. Add a proportionate amount of water for larger batches of rice. You can always use a rice cooker to prepare perfect sushi rice.
• Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat, then simmer it for 15 minutes. When the water begins bubbling rapidly, turn the heat down a low setting. The rice will absorb the water in the pot as it cooks. When it is done, it will look white and tender. If you still see a little bit of water in the pot, cook the rice for another minute.
• Steam the rice for 10 minutes, then fluff it with a fork. Move the pot off the heat and remove the lid. After the rice finishes cooking, stir it in the pot to fluff it. You can also use a rice scoop or spatula to do this. Wait for the rice to cool enough so you are able to touch it without burning your hands. Avoid letting the rice cool completely. It needs to be warm in order to stick together.

ONIGIRI - JAPANESE RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Wash the rice in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Combine washed rice and 4 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer rice until the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rice rest, for 15 minutes to allow the rice to continue to steam and become tender. Allow cooked rice to cool.
• Combine 1 cup water with the salt in a small bowl. Use this water to dampen hands before handling the rice. Divide the cooked rice into 8 equal portions. Use one portion of rice for each onigiri.
• Divide one portion of rice in two. Create a dimple in the rice and fill with a heaping teaspoon of bonito flakes. Cover with the remaining portion of rice and press lightly to enclose filling inside rice ball. Gently press the rice to shape into a triangle. Wrap shaped onigiri with a strip of nori. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat to make a total of 8 onigiri.

ONIGIRI (RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine rice and water; let stand for 30 minutes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from the heat. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes., In a small bowl, combine the tuna, soy sauce and wasabi. With wet hands, shape 1/2 cup rice into a patty. Place 1 tablespoon tuna mixture in the center. Shape rice around tuna to enclose filling, forming a triangle. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

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.