Straightforward to make, scrumptious, and child pleasant, onigiri (rice balls) have been a favourite meals of mine ever since I used to be a bit of lady. That is my model of one in every of Japan’s most cherished snacks – conbini (comfort retailer) tuna mayonnaise onigiri.
Why I Love This Recipe
Onigiri will not be solely scrumptious, they’re additionally very straightforward to make! That is a kind of Japanese recipes anybody could make at house as a result of the substances are straightforward to seek out and the steps are simple. They’re additionally versatile – so many alternative fillings to select from apart from tuna mayonnaise – and may be frozen for later. From children to adults, this well-liked Japanese snack may be loved by itself or as a part of a meal.
Substances
- Rice: For one of the best rice balls I like to recommend utilizing brief grain Japanese rice as a result of the grains are stickier. Medium grain rice from manufacturers like Kokuho Rose and Nishiki may even work however elements of the rice balls could come aside when holding them, as a result of the grains are much less sticky.
- Canned tuna: Each canned tuna in water or oil can be utilized. If you happen to don’t have tuna, flaked salmon or yellowtail can also be good.
- Kewpie Mayonnaise: Kewpie mayonnaise is the popular mayonnaise for this recipe as a result of we’re replicating the tuna mayo rice balls offered in Japan. Kewpie mayonnaise is fruity, barely eggy, and full of umami. It’s rather more advanced in taste than common mayonnaise. Nonetheless, when you can’t discover it, please go forward and use common mayonnaise, or take a look at my recipe for selfmade kewpie mayonnaise.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is required to carry the flavors collectively.
- Monosodium glutamate (Msg): Non-obligatory however extremely really useful. Msg provides depth of taste and ups the umami degree by 10!
- Nori: Search for pre sliced nori sheets made for onigiri since they’re the proper measurement. In any other case, common nori sheets will do too.
Variations
- Make it spicy: Add a number of shakes of ichimi togarashi (pink chili pepper) or a squirt of sriracha sauce so as to add some warmth.
- Make it vegan: Use plant based mostly tuna and vegan mayonnaise.
- Add some crunch: Add one finely chopped celery or a inexperienced onion to the filling.
- Make it tacky: That is changing into a preferred choice in Japan – including finely chopped cheddar cheese or gouda to the filling.
How To Make My Tuna Mayo Onigiri Recipe
Scroll all the way in which to the recipe card for the total recipe.
- Combine the mayonnaise, seasonings, and canned tuna in a bowl.
- Moist your fingers and form the rice balls into triangles.
- Press down the center of every rice ball to create a dent and add a bit of tuna filling.
- Cowl the filling with a bit of rice and end by wrapping the rice ball with a nori sheet. Get pleasure from!
Skilled Ideas
- Use an onigiri mildew to hurry up the method. I can’t dwell with out an onigiri mildew since shopping for one! They’re cheap and are the proper measurement for conbini measurement rice balls.
- Salt the surface of the rice ball for additional taste. That’s my mom’s trick and one I additionally like to make use of. Merely moist the palm of your fingers and sprinkle them with salt. When shaping the onigiri, the rice will naturally take up the salt grains.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: To avoid wasting the rice balls for later, keep away from wrapping them in nori. As an alternative, wrap every rice ball in plastic wrap and place them in a storage container. Solely use the nori sheet proper earlier than consuming. They’ll hold within the fridge for 3 days.
Freezer: To freeze the rice balls, wrap every rice ball individually (with out the nori sheet) in plastic wrap and place them in a storage bag or container. They’ll hold within the freezer for as much as 2 months.
Reheating: To heat up the rice balls, take them out of the storage container however hold them wrapped in plastic wrap. Microwave them separately for about 30 seconds (as much as 1 minute if they’re taken out of the freezer).
What To Serve With It
Onigiri may be loved for breakfast, as a mid afternoon snack, as a part of a lunch or dinner, or as a late night time meals. It doesn’t matter while you eat it, there may be by no means a nasty time for it! Personally, I like serve onigiri as a part of a meal. I make a number of of them – 2 or 3 per particular person – and serve them on a plate together with different snacks and sides.
A few of my favorites are:
Different yummy rice recipes you would possibly like: Spicy tuna roll, pickled plum, okaka, and salmon onigiri, California roll, Philadelphia roll, maki roll, inari sushi, vegetarian kimbap.
Incessantly Requested Questions
The one different sort of rice that works to make onigiri is Japanese brief grain brown rice. I like to combine 50/50 white rice and brown rice at any time when I’m trying to make them a bit of more healthy.
I’ve by no means tried making onigiri utilizing flavored nori sheets however I feel they’d be an issue due to their tremendous crispy texture, which might break when folding. If you need to attempt, I like to recommend resting the nori sheets on the rice for a number of seconds till they soften, earlier than wrapping them.
It doesn’t matter when you use recent or day previous rice so long as the rice is heat or room temperature. If the rice isn’t recent it ought to nonetheless be moist and on the hotter facet so the rice grains can stick collectively. However I don’t advocate utilizing rice that’s greater than a day previous.
Did you want this recipe? Are there modifications you made that you just wish to share? Share your ideas and suggestions within the feedback part beneath!
- Make the tuna mayo: Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, msg, and salt in a bowl till effectively mixed.
- Moist your fingers: Maintain a bowl of heat water shut by. Moist your fingers to stop the rice from sticking to them.
- Form the rice balls: Scoop between ⅓ to ½ cup of rice into the palm of your hand. Create a small indentation within the middle of the rice by urgent together with your thumb.
- Add the tuna mayo: Add about 1 tablespoon of tuna mayonnaise within the indentation and press gently to assist it set.
- Form the rice ball yet one more time: Cowl the world with the tuna mayo with rice so it’s fully hidden . Form the rice between your palms into spherical or triangular shapes by urgent. Don’t press too arduous however arduous sufficient that the rice sticks collectively and holds form.
- Wrap with nori and serve: Take a sheet of nori and wrap it across the rice. Place the onigiri on a plate and repeat the steps till all of the rice has been used. Serve instantly.
Notes
To avoid wasting onigiri, don’t wrap the nori across the rice. As an alternative, wrap every rice ball in plastic wrap and save them in a storage container. Refrigerate for up 3 days. Wrap them in nori after warming them up within the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Diet
- Serving Measurement: 1 onigiri
- Energy: 207
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 130mg
- Fats: 4.3g
- Saturated Fats: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fats: 2.4g
- Trans Fats: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35.6g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 5.1g
- Ldl cholesterol: 4.2mg
