Japanese Rice Balls Onigiri Recipes

ONIGIRI (JAPANESE RICE BALL)

Steps:

• Place a cutting board in front of you and arrange salmon and the onigiri ingredients around it.
• Add ¼ of the cooked rice to a tea cup or a small rice bowl of 150-180ml (5-6 oz), then turn it over and place the rice on the cutting board.
• Wet your finger with water and make a well in the centre of the rice using your finger.
• Add ¼ of the salmon pieces to the well.
• Wet both palms of your hands with water, then take about ¼ of the salt and rub both palms together to spread the salt over them.
• Pick up the rice from both sides by making a cup with your hands so that the rice will sit in your palms.
• Using your thumbs, press down the salmon and then gather the rice around to cover the salmon and bury it in the centre (note 5) and make a rice ball.
• Place the rice ball on the palm of the left hand, then place your right hand over the rice ball perpendicular to your left hand.
• Then using mainly three fingers (index finger, middle finger and ring finger), squeeze the rice ball with both hands to shape it into a triangle. The left hand should control the thickness of the onigiri to make it about 4cm (1 ½") thick and the right hand should shape the triangle. Press firmly but not too tight (note 6).
• While pressing firmly, occasionally roll the triangle and press to make the onigiri more like an equilateral triangle.
• Place the onigiri in the centre of a yaki nori sheet and cover both sides of the triangular surface with yaki nori.
• Repeat for the remaining 3 onigiri (note 7).

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 JAPANESE RICE BALLS (ONIGIRI)

Steps:

• Pour rice into a bowl and rinse under running water. Give it a good scrubbing with your hands; rinse off the starch and drain.
• Place rice in a small pot with water and salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn the burner to high. Cook for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to fully absorb the moisture for 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a cutting board to cool slightly.
• Season flaked salmon with soy sauce.
• Flatten cooled rice into a rectangle and divide into 6 portions. Place a portion of salmon on top of each section of rice. Wet your hands and pick up a section of rice. Gently cup the rice around the filling; keep cupping until filling is completely covered and you've formed a ball. Mold the rice ball into a triangle shape by placing the bottom on one palm and flattening the back with your fingers. Bend the other hand and press the rice into a triangle on your palm, flattening the front side if needed. Place a strip of nori on the bottom of the onigiri to make it easier to pick up.
• Repeat to make remaining rice balls, wetting your hands as necessary to prevent the rice from sticking.

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.

JAPANESE RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut each nori sheet (if using) into 8 or 9 strips and put about a 1/2 cup of steamed rice in a rice bowl.
• Wet your hands with water so that rice won't stick.
• Rub some salt on your wet hands.
• Place steamed rice in your hand and form into a triangle, making sure it is dense and thick.
• Put your favorite filling, such as umeboshi or grilled salmon, on rice and push the filling into rice lightly.
• Hold rice between palms.
• Form rice into a round, a triangle, or a cylinder by pressing lightly with both palms, securing filling in the middle. Roll rice ball in your hands a few times, pressing lightly.
• Wrap rice ball with a strip or two of nori (if using), or sprinkle some sesame seeds on them (if using).