How to Make Japanese Onigiri (Step-by-Step Video)

Have you ever used the onigiri emoji? You know, this one 🍙

Emojis started in Japan, so using food emojis can feel a bit like a tiny cultural exchange. There’s the onigiri 🍙, ramen 🍜, mochi/dango 🍡, sushi 🍣, shrimp tempura 🍤, oden 🍢, matcha 🍵, sake 🍶, senbei rice crackers 🍘, bento boxes 🍱, donuts 🍩 (which are popular in Japan these days), and Japanese sweet potato 🍠.

Last week I shared a grilled matcha mochi recipe, and this week I’m talking about onigiri. These rice balls (or triangles) are one of the most practical, tasty, and versatile portable meals—Japan’s answer to the peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Onigiri are usually filled with things like pickled plum, yam, or fish, then wrapped in toasted nori seaweed. You can pick them up from small vendors, convenience stores like 7-Eleven, and even train stations across Japan.

On my last day in Japan my host, Kae, packed me the most delightful onigiri made with Japanese yam and kombu broth to take on the long flight back to the U.S. That portable, comforting rice ball is when I truly fell in love with onigiri.

I love onigiri because the filling and seasoning possibilities are endless. In the future I plan to experiment with flavors from other cuisines—Mexican-inspired onigiri filled with spicy refried beans and cilantro, Indian-style onigiri stuffed with curried potatoes and peas, or a Southern twist with red beans. Onigiri adapt so well to different palates, so why not be creative?

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Onigiri filled with Japanese Yam and Kabocha Squash

By:
Jenné Claiborne

For onigiri you’ll want sticky sushi rice. Traditionally white rice is used, but brown rice can work too. I like Mishima Yukari shiso seasoning, which contains MSG—if you avoid MSG try dried shiso leaves or simply add a little extra salt to your rice. These ingredients can be found online or at a local Japanese grocer.

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

Servings:
8

Ingredients

• 2
  cups
  sticky rice, rinsed well
• 1/2
  cup
  Japanese yam, diced
• 1/2
  cup
  kabocha squash, diced (you can eat the skin)
• 1
  tsp
  sea salt
• 2 1/2
  cups
  water
• 2
  tbsp
  black sesame seeds
• 8
  strips of toasted nori
• 2
  tbsp
  Mishima Yukari shiso leaf seasoning

Instructions

• Combine the rinsed rice, diced Japanese yam, diced kabocha, sea salt, and water in a pot and bring to a simmer.
• Cover the pot with a lid left slightly ajar and cook for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pot from heat, seal the lid completely, and let the rice steam for 10 minutes off the heat.
• Stir in the black sesame seeds and let the rice cool for another 5–10 minutes until it’s comfortable to handle.
• Dampen your hands, scoop about 1 cup of rice, and quickly shape it into a ball or triangle while the rice is still warm. Work fairly fast because the rice is hot.
• Alternatively, place the rice on a sheet of plastic wrap, pull the wrap tight, and shape the rice through the plastic for cleaner shaping.
• Wrap each shaped onigiri with a strip of nori and sprinkle a little shiso seasoning on top before serving.
• Repeat with the remaining rice until you’ve made all the onigiri.
• Store onigiri in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. When eating leftovers, allow them to come to room temperature first since rice firms up when chilled.

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