Japanese Onigiri And Bento Box Recipes

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.

HOW TO MAKE ONIGIRI (JAPANESE RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together bonito flakes and soy sauce. If necessary, add more soy sauce a drop at a time - be careful, as you don't want the filling to be runny.
• KEY INSTRUCTION #1: With a damp paper towel, wipe the entire inside of your onigiri mold until it's completely damp. Also wet the removable top piece as well, on the side that will push into the rice.
• Optional: Sprinkle the inside of the mold with a tiny pinch of salt. I like to rotate the mold in my hands to help spread the salt more evenly on all sides.
• Using a rice paddle or spoon, fill your mold just below the halfway point with warm rice. KEY INSTRUCTION #2: Make sure you press the rice gently but firmly into all the crevices of the mold.
• With the handle of your rice paddle or spoon, make a small indentation in the center of your rice, just deep enough to hold your filling.
• Spoon your okaka filling into the indent. It's okay if you pile it up a bit.
• Fill the rest of your mold with rice, until about the 3/4 point - you'll need some room for the removable top piece to fit on top. Optional: Sprinkle a little salt on top of the newly added rice.
• Take the removable top piece and insert it into the mold. Push with gentle pressure until the top piece is fully inserted into the mold.
• Remove the top piece, and flip the rice mold over, making sure to do this over top of a plate covered in plastic wrap. If your rice mold has little push indents on the bottom, push it gently with your thumb, then gently tap the bottom and sides of the mold until the onigiri slides out.
• Attach your strip of nori onto the onigiri.
• Wrap onigiri in plastic wrap until ready to serve or pack in a bento.

ONIGIRI (JAPANESE RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients.

JAPANESE ONIGIRI AND BENTO BOX

Steps:

• Cook sushi rice according to package directions. Do not add vinegar or sugar like we would when making sushi. We just want plain rice.
• Once cooled, dip your hands in the bowl of salted water and take a handful of rice. Mold it into a ball, triangle, or pack it (very tightly) into a cookie cutter, then unmold the shape. Or make a flat disc and put some leftover meat into the center. Fold up the edges of the rice disc to hide the filling, or add more rice on top and form into a ball or triangle. Keep your hands wet to keep the rice from sticking.
• Using cookie cutters or a paring knife, cut fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, sandwiches, or anything else you can think of, into cute shapes. Stack them, line them up, or create scenes and characters with them.
• Silicone muffin cups are great for keeping foods separate that will either leak juice onto dry foods, or roll around like blueberries and peas.
• Use craft punches or scissors to make shapes out of the nori (seaweed sheets) and stick it on the onigiri. It'll stick nicely to the rice.
• For a great demo on making bento box lunches for kids, check out the alphamom website here: http://alphamom.com/family-fun/how-to-make-a-kids-bento-box/.

TAMAGOYAKI BENTO BOX

Steps:

• Rinse rice with cool water until the water runs clear; drain. Bring rice and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat and let simmer until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let cool, 10 to 20 minutes.
• Cut the sheet of nori into two 1-inch strips; reserve the remainder of the sheet for making tamagoyaki.
• Wet your hands and form the cooled rice into 4 equal portions. Keep your hands wet to keep rice from sticking. Create an indention in one of the rice portions using your thumb. Fill the indention with 1 teaspoon bonito flakes. Top with another rice portion to close the onigiri. Form into an oval shape and wrap the middle with a strip of nori. Make another onigiri with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle white and black sesame seeds on top. Place in a bento box.
• Whisk together the eggs, mirin, and 1/8 teaspoon tamari together in a bowl; divide into 3 portions. Cut remaining portion of nori sheet into four 1/2-inch strips.
• Heat oil in a small saucepan or square tamagoyaki pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the egg mixture and cook until almost firm, 2 to 3 minutes; if omelette is too firm, it won't stick together very well. Slide onto a plate. Add the 4 strips of nori to the pan with some space between each.
• Cook another 1/3 of the omelette the same way, but roll it up carefully in the saucepan with the nori. Slide the rolled-up omelette onto the edge of the first omelette. Cook the third omelette and roll it up, sliding it on top of the second omelette. Let cool enough to touch, about 5 minutes.
• Roll the entire layered omelette together with nori inside. Cut into 4 pieces. Place into the bento box alongside the onigiri.
• Mix 2 tablespoons tamari, ginger, and wasabi paste together in a bowl. Put the mixture into a portable container then put inside the bento box. Add the steamed broccoli and edamame.

ANGRY BIRDS ONIGIRI BENTO BOX

Steps:

• Mash hard-boiled egg & set aside. Blanch crabmeat in boiling water & drain. Dice it & mix with egg, mayo & pepper.
• Mix Ketchup into 2 tbsp of rice. Using fingers, spread some salt water onto cling wrap. Put 2 tbsp of rice onto palm & top with crabmeat mixture.
• Make into a ball. Add 1 tbsp of white rice to make the bottom of the Red Bird. Press well to combine the two.
• Once you're done, start cutting out the eyes by using Cheese & Nori & the crown/beak using Carrots. Tada! Here's your 1st Angry Bird! Serve with mayo & wasabi if you like :).
• So what do you think of this Red Bird? Click here to make the Yellow Bird, White Bird & the King Pig!