Onigiri おにぎり

Onigiri (rice balls) are Japanese soul food. Here are recipes for three types of onigiri: shio-musubi (salted rice ball) that lets you savor the flavor of ungarnished Japan Rice, taco meat onigiri with a mouth-watering spicy flavor, and spicy tuna onigiri.

日本人のソウルフード、おにぎり。日本産米のおいしさをシンプルに味わう塩むすびをはじめ、スパイスの香りが食欲をそそるタコスミートおにぎりとスパイシーツナおにぎりの3種をご紹介。

How to cook

The balls are mostly formed with your bare hands in Japan, but you can also use plastic wrap for easy shaping and cleanup. You can then wrap them in seaweed or add a flourish to them with vegetables or herbs. They make great party food.

Ingredients for 1 serving

Shio-musubi (salted rice ball)

200g (7oz): Cooked rice
Pinch of salt
1pc: Seaweed(if available)

Taco onigiri

200g (7oz): Cooked rice
Pinch of salt: ＜A＞
1 tsp: Taco seasoning ＜A＞
50g (1.8oz): Ground beef
20g (0.7oz): Onion
1 tsp: Taco seasoning
To taste: Leaf lettuce
To taste: Tomato
To taste: Cheese
To taste: Cilantro (if available)

Spicy tuna onigiri

200g (7oz): Cooked rice
To taste: Black sesame seeds
1 pc: Seaweed
50g (1.8oz): Tuna
1 tsp: Mayonnaise ＜B＞
1 tsp: Hot sauce(e.g. Sriracha) ＜B＞
1/2 tsp: Sesame oil ＜B＞
1/2 tsp: Soy sauce ＜B＞
To taste: Scallion(if available)

Prepare the rice.

Please prepare rice. See here for how to cook rice.

How to Cook お米の炊き方

Cooking Steps

5 – 20 minutes

Shio-musubi

Prepare the rice

Mix the salt into the rice and allow to cool until slightly warm to the touch.

Form balls

Place the rice on a piece of plastic wrap and wrap it around the rice, gently shaping it with your hands.

Finish

Wrap it in seaweed if desired.

Taco onigiri

Prepare the rice

Mix A into the rice and let cool until slightly warm to the touch.

Prepare the ingredients

Heat the frying pan, add the oil, and fry the meat. Once it browns, add the minced onion, and continue to fry the mix, then add the taco seasoning.

Form balls

Place the rice on a piece of plastic wrap. Create a hole in the middle and fill it with 2, then wrap the plastic wrap around the rice and gently shape it with your hands.

Finish

Top the rice ball with the ingredients 2 or, as desired, such as with a lettuce leaf or chopped tomato.

Spicy tuna onigiri

Prepare the rice

Mix the black sesame seeds into the rice and allow to cool until slightly warm to the touch.

Prepare the ingredients

Mix B into the tuna.

Form balls

Place the rice on a piece of plastic wrap. Create a hole in the middle and fill it with 2, then wrap the plastic wrap around the rice and gently shape it with your hands.