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Vegetarian Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

Vegetarian Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

Step aside, potato chips! There's a healthier, heartier, and infinitely more satisfying snack in town: Onigiri. These iconic Japanese rice balls are the perfect portable meal, a delightful addition to any bento box, and a wonderfully simple canvas for your favorite savory flavors
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8 onigiri
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups (800 g / 28.2 oz) cooked Japanese short-grain rice, white or brown, still warm
  • 4 sheets nori, lightly toasted
  • Soy sauce, for brushing
  • Salt, for your hands
  • Optional Fillings & Toppings
  • Umeboshi (pickled Japanese plums)
  • Takuan (pickled daikon radish), finely chopped
  • Lightly salted cucumber, finely chopped
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • Always use freshly cooked, warm short-grain Japanese rice. It has the perfect sticky texture needed for shaping.
  • For a smoky, savory twist, grill the shaped rice balls (before adding nori). Brush them with soy sauce and grill over a medium-low flame for 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. This is called Yaki Onigiri.
  • For extra flavor and texture, roll the finished onigiri in toasted sesame seeds before wrapping with nori.

Method
 

  1. Prepare your station. Have a small bowl of water and a small dish of salt ready. Lay out your cooked rice, fillings, soy sauce, and nori.
  2. Wet and salt your hands.
  3. Dip your hands in the water to prevent the rice from sticking, then sprinkle a little salt onto your palms and rub them together.
  4. Shape the rice. Scoop about 1/2 cup (480 ml) of warm rice into your hands. Gently cup and press the rice, rotating it to form a firm ball, triangle, or oval shape. It should be firm enough to hold together, but not densely packed.
  5. Add a filling (optional). If using a filling, poke an indentation into the center of the rice ball with your thumb.
  6. Place a small amount of your chosen filling inside, then gently press the surrounding rice back over to seal it.
  7. Season and wrap. Lightly brush the outside of the onigiri with soy sauce.
  8. Cut a sheet of toasted nori in half or into a strip and wrap it around the rice ball, shiny side out.
  9. Serve immediately. Onigiri are best enjoyed within a few hours of being made, while the rice is tender and the nori is crisp.
  10. Keep your hands consistently damp with water to prevent the rice from sticking to your skin, re-wetting them between each onigiri.
  11. Don't press too hard! The goal is to shape the rice just enough so it holds together. Over-compacting will result in hard, dense onigiri.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 1g

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