How to Make Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) - A Step-by-Step Guide

Onigiri, also known as Japanese rice balls, are a popular and versatile staple in Japanese cuisine. These delicious and convenient snacks are made by shaping balls of rice and often filling them with various ingredients such as grilled salmon, pickled plum, or seasoned seaweed. Onigiri are commonly wrapped in seaweed or nori, which not only adds flavor but also makes them conveniently portable, perfect for a quick and satisfying snack on the go.

Onigiri is a traditional Japanese comfo...

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
  • 5 ½ cups water, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup bonito shavings (dry fish flakes)
  • 2 sheets nori (dry seaweed), cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Additional Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Servings: 4
  • Yield: 8 onigiri

  • Wash rice in a mesh strainer until 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, and simmer rice until water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rice rest for 15 minutes to continue to steam and become tender. Allow cooked rice to cool.
  • Combine remaining 1 cup water with salt in a small bowl; use to dampen hands before handling rice. Divide 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 rice and fill with a heaping teaspoon of bonito flakes. Cover with remaining portion of rice and press lightly to enclose filling inside rice ball. Gently press rice to shape into a triangle; wrap with a strip of nori and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining portions of rice.
  • Nutrition

    744 cal.

    • Total Fat: 3g
    • Saturated Fat: 1g
    • Sodium: 160mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 159g
    • Dietary Fiber: 6g
    • Total Sugars: 1g
    • Protein: 14g
    • Vitamin C: 1mg
    • Calcium: 61mg
    • Iron: 9mg
    • Potassium: 181mg