Onigiri
Onigiri are Japan's iconic rice balls — hand-pressed seasoned rice shaped into triangles or rounds, often wrapped with a strip of crisp nori and filled with a savory center like salted salmon or pickled plum. Portable, satisfying, and endlessly customizable, they're a lunchbox and convenience-store staple.
By YumYum Editorial · Japanese
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 15 min · Total: 35 min · Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, rinsed
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt (for seasoning rice)
- 1 fillet salted salmon, grilled and flaked
- 2 tbsp umeboshi (pickled plum), pitted and chopped
- 2 tbsp bonito flakes mixed with a few drops of soy sauce
- 4 sheets nori, cut into strips
- to taste Extra salt, for shaping
Instructions
- Cook the rinsed rice with the water in a rice cooker or covered pot until tender, about 15 minutes, then let it steam covered for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the fillings: flake the grilled salted salmon, chop the umeboshi, and mix bonito flakes with a touch of soy sauce.
- While the rice is still warm, wet your hands with water and rub a small pinch of salt into your palms.
- Scoop about 1/2 cup of rice into one hand and make a small indentation in the center.
- Add a spoonful of one filling into the indentation, then cover with a little more rice.
- Gently press and shape the rice into a triangle, rotating and pressing the edges with your palms until compact but not overly dense.
- Wrap a strip of nori around the base of each onigiri just before serving so it stays crisp.
- Repeat with the remaining rice and fillings; serve at room temperature or pack for later.