Onigiri is what rice wants to be when it grows up. A warm, slightly salty triangle of fluffy Japanese rice, stuffed with something delicious, wrapped in crispy nori. No rolling mat. No special tools. Just your hands and a little love. Let’s shape.
Ingredients
Makes 4 onigiri.
For the Rice:
- 2 cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (like sushi rice)
- 2¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (optional, for seasoning)
- 1 tsp salt
For the Fillings (Pick One or Mix):
- Filling 1: Cooked salmon + salt (shiozake)
- Filling 2: Canned tuna + Japanese mayo + a dab of soy sauce (tuna mayo)
- Filling 3: Umeboshi (pickled plum) — one per onigiri
- Filling 4: Kombu tsukudani (simmered seaweed)
To Finish:
- Nori (toasted seaweed sheets), cut into strips
- Optional: Sesame seeds, furikake, or a light dusting of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook Rice
- Rinse rice in a bowl until water runs clear. Drain.
- Cook rice with water in a pot or rice cooker. Let it rest 10 minutes after cooking.
- Gently fold in rice vinegar and salt if using. Cool until warm (not hot).
Step 2: Prepare Fillings
- For tuna mayo: mix canned tuna (drained) with 2 tbsp Japanese mayo.
- For salmon: flake cooked salted salmon.
- Keep other fillings ready.
Step 3: Wet Your Hands
- Wet your hands (so rice doesn’t stick). Rub a pinch of salt on your palms.
Step 4: Shape the Onigiri
- Scoop about ½ cup of warm rice into your palm. Flatten into a disc.
- Place 1–2 teaspoons of filling in the center.
- Close the rice around the filling. Gently press and shape into a triangle (or ball).
Step 5: Wrap or Top
- Wrap a strip of nori around the bottom of the triangle. Or sprinkle with furikake.
- Repeat with remaining rice.
Step 6: Serve
- Eat immediately (nori stays crispy). Or wrap tightly for lunch.
Summary
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min (rice) | Total: 35 min
Yield: 4 onigiri | Difficulty: Easy
Storage Notes
Best day-of. Rice hardens in the fridge. Wrap tightly in plastic if needed. Nori goes soft quickly—add it just before eating. For bento boxes, wrap onigiri in plastic then add nori at lunchtime.
