Onigiri is real soul food. It’s perfect for picnics, weekend activities and family car journeys. Use this recipe to make as many onigiri as your heart desires, with filling or without (shio-nigiri).
PREP 30 minutes
COOK 20 minutes
SERVES 4-6
INGREDIENTS
- Freshly boiled rice
- Choice of filling (if using) such as okobu, okaka or umeboshi
- Sheets of nori cut to desired size (generally divide a sheet first in the middle and then each half into 3 pieces to get 6 pieces per sheet)
- Salt
METHOD
Onigiri without filling
- Add a portion of rice to a rice bowl – I usually use about a handful. (Freshly cooked rice is very hot, but if you can stand it, it always makes a nice, airy ball).
- Shake the bowl gently until the rice begins to form and hold together in the bowl. Moisten one hand with cold water and sprinkle a little fine salt into your palm.
- Turn the rice out onto your hand and gently press into a triangle shape. Don’t press too hard – the rice grains on the surface should still be intact.
- Take a piece of nori and wrap it around the rice ball. You have now made a simple shio-nigiri.
Onigiri with filling
- Add a portion of rice to a rice bowl – I usually use about a handful. (Freshly cooked rice is very hot, but if you can stand it, it always makes a nice, airy ball).
- Shake the bowl gently until the rice begins to form and hold together in the bowl. Make a small hole with your thumb in the middle of the rice, add your filling and cover with a little more rice. Moisten one hand with cold water and sprinkle a little fine salt into your palm.
- Turn the rice out onto your hand and gently press into a triangle shape. Don’t press too hard – the rice grains on the surface should still be intact.
- Take a piece of nori and wrap it around the rice ball. You have now made a filled nigiri. If you like, you can top it with a little extra filling.
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