Hand-pressed triangles of seasoned rice wrapped in crisp nori seaweed, filled with savory surprises like salted salmon, pickled plum, or seasoned tuna. Japan's ultimate portable comfort food, found in every convenience store.
Ingredients
3 cups Japanese short-grain rice, cooked and hot
1 teaspoon salt
2 sheets nori seaweed, cut into strips
100g cooked salmon fillet, flaked
4 umeboshi (pickled plums), pitted
60g canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
Bowl of salted water for wetting hands
Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
1Cook Japanese short-grain rice and let it cool until just warm enough to handle comfortably. The rice must be warm and slightly sticky for proper shaping, so do not let it cool completely.
2Wet your hands thoroughly in salted water to prevent sticking and to season the rice surface. Take about half a cup of warm rice and flatten it into a rough disc in your palm.
3Place a tablespoon of your chosen filling in the center of the rice disc. Options include flaked salmon, a whole pitted umeboshi, or tuna mayo. Do not overfill or the onigiri will crack.
4Gently fold the rice around the filling and begin shaping with both hands, pressing firmly but not crushing. Form into a triangle shape by cupping your hands at angles and rotating the ball.
5Continue pressing and rotating until the onigiri holds its triangular shape with smooth surfaces and no visible cracks. The rice should be compact enough to hold together when picked up.
6Wrap a strip of nori around the base of each onigiri, pressing it gently against the rice so it adheres. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately or wrap for later.
Did You Know?
Japanese convenience stores sell over five billion onigiri every year. The ingenious packaging keeps the nori crisp and separate from the rice until the moment you unwrap it to eat.