A favourite at izakaya eating places, Yaki Onigiri are Japanese rice balls which might be pan-grilled and glazed in savory soy sauce. With a crispy crust on the surface and tender rice on the within, these rice balls are merely irresistible and straightforward to make at house!
Have you ever ever tried Yaki Onigiri (焼きおにぎり)? These grilled rice balls are a beloved snack and lunchtime enjoyment of Japan, incessantly gracing the menus of BBQ events and izakaya institutions.
You probably have an affinity for each rice and grilled meals, you’ll completely take pleasure in yaki onigiri. Image these delectable rice balls gently grilling, their exteriors crisping as much as a golden brown whereas the rice inside stays heat, tender, and irresistibly smooth. A lightweight brush of a savory glaze elevates the flavors, making them a most scrumptious deal with!
What’s Yaki Onigiri?
The time period “yaki” originates from the Japanese phrase for “grilled,” as seen in different common dishes corresponding to Teriyaki, Yakisoba, Yakiniku, and Yakitori. Then again, “onigiri” interprets to “rice balls.” Due to this fact, yaki onigiri fairly actually means grilled rice balls.
Within the conventional preparation of yaki onigiri, rice balls are grilled over charcoal till the rice attains a fascinating browned and crispy texture. Subsequently, they’re brushed with both soy sauce or a miso glaze, permitting the seasoning to caramelize, making a golden crust on the outside.
These days, as most Japanese don’t have charcoal or grill of their houses, yaki onigiri is grilled utilizing a frying pan. You’d begin by shaping cooked short-grain white rice into triangular or oval shapes, akin to the common onigiri (my recipe right here), earlier than pan-grilling them in a pan. It’s each bit as easy to make because it sounds!
Easy methods to Make Yaki Onigiri at Dwelling
The Substances You’ll Want
- Japanese short-grain rice (cooked)
- Seasonings: soy sauce, sugar, salt, and sesame oil
- Soy sauce glaze: soy sauce and sesame oil
The Cooking Steps
- Mix the cooked rice and the seasonings. Combine all of it collectively with out making it mushy.
- Make onigiri with seasoned rice. On this recipe, I’ll present you two methods: utilizing an onigiri mildew and plastic wrap. You’ll be able to select both technique.
- In a frying pan lined with parchment paper, place the rice balls and grill on all sides on medium-low warmth till crispy and golden.
- Brush the soy sauce glaze on the rice balls and sear the brushed floor. Watch out to not burn.
- Switch to a plate and revel in whereas scorching!
What’s the Greatest Rice Cooker
To make the right rice for yaki onigiri, I like to make use of my Zojirushi NP-NWC10XB Rice Cooker. It makes fluffy rice each time, and it’s the greatest Japanese rice cooker I’ve ever used! You will get it on Amazon for $458.29, and it’s properly value it should you cook dinner quite a lot of rice.
Filling or No Filling in Yaki Onigiri
These grilled rice balls might be made with fillings, however usually, it’s ready with plain or seasoned rice. I choose mine with out filling as I discover filling can generally distract the enjoyment. Then once more, the selection is yours.
As a result of it’s all about simplicity, you need to begin with high quality Japanese short-grain rice. Forming the onigiri just isn’t one thing too difficult. I’ve shared step-by-step photos and tips about kind the rice balls within the recipe part under, so you’ll grasp it very quickly. As soon as you have got the rice balls formed, you simply want to position them on the grill, brush with the sauce and go away them to crisp up.
The Glaze Variations
Though yaki onigiri is usually glazed with soy sauce or miso (I’ve Miso Yaki Onigiri recipe), you might be inventive with totally different flavors. Listed here are my recommendations!
- Eel Sauce. I really like my Home made Unagi Sauce, and the savory aroma and style of this caramelized candy soy sauce mix completely with white rice, particularly should you prefer it to be on the sweeter facet.
- Teriyaki Sauce. Positively make my Home made Teriyaki Sauce for this!
- Negi Miso. My Home made Negi Miso is so scrumptious. I could put it contained in the onigiri, too, however you may undoubtedly slather on the surface and sear a bit.
- All Goal Miso Sauce. This Home made All Goal Miso Sauce goes properly with every thing.
What to Serve with Yaki Onigiri
To be sincere, I can simply devour yaki onigiri on their very own, however for a balanced meal, you may pair them with:
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Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball)
A favourite at izakaya eating places, Yaki Onigiri are Japanese rice balls which might be pan-grilled and glazed in savory soy sauce. With a crispy crust on the surface and tender rice on the within, these rice balls are merely irresistible and straightforward to make at house!
Substances
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Directions
Earlier than You Begin…
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Japanese short-grain white rice requires a soaking time of 20–half-hour. The rice-to-water ratio is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2) for short-grain white rice. Please notice that 2¼ cups (450 g, 3 rice cooker cups) of raw Japanese short-grain rice yield 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked white rice. That is sufficient for 9 onigiri rice balls (usually 110 g every). Non-compulsory: To make 5–6 rice balls, cook dinner 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of raw Japanese short-grain rice in 1⅔ cups water (400 ml) to yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked white rice.
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Cook dinner the rice; see how with a rice cooker, pot over the range, Instantaneous Pot, or donabe. To my rice cooker, I added 2½ cups water to 2¼ cups raw Japanese short-grain white rice. As soon as the rice is cooked, collect all of the substances.
To Form the Rice Balls
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With an Onigiri Mildew: Put together a small bowl full of water. Soak the onigiri mildew and lid within the water to moisten so the rice doesn‘t keep on with it. Take away the mildew and drain the surplus water.
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Fill the onigiri mildew with the recent seasoned rice all the best way to the highest edge, ensuring to fill the corners. Cowl with the lid and push down firmly. It is best to really feel a slight resistance; if not, you could need to add a bit extra rice.
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Take away the lid. Flip over the mildew onto a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper. Then, push the “button” on the mildew‘s backside to launch your onigiri. Tip: At all times dip your fingers in water earlier than touching the onigiri to stop the rice from sticking to them.
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Repeat with the remaining rice.
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Now, firmly hand-press the rice balls to maintain them from falling aside whereas grilling. For Yaki Onigiri, you‘ll need to press the rice ball a bit extra tightly than you’ll a daily onigiri. First, moisten each palms with a little bit of water to stop the rice from sticking. Then, decide up a rice ball in your left (non-dominant) hand. Place your proper (dominant) hand on high of the rice in a “mountain” form and gently press the triangle nook. On the identical time, squeeze the fingers and heel of your backside (left) hand to softly press the perimeters flat.Now, rotate the triangle nook you simply pressed towards you (clockwise, should you‘re right-handed). The tip of the second nook will now be pointing up. Repeat the above “press and rotate” steps at hand press the second triangle nook after which the third, all the time holding your left hand on the underside and your proper hand on high. Press and rotate a closing 2–3 extra instances to complete.
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Within the picture under, the highest row is hand pressed whereas the underside row just isn’t.
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In case you don‘t need to contact the rice together with your fingers, you may press the onigiri with plastic wrap. Place a chunk of plastic wrap on the working floor, moist your fingers, and place the onigiri within the center.
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Collect the corners of the plastic wrap and twist it just a few instances to tighten it across the rice. Type the rice right into a triangle form in the identical method that I described above.
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With out an Onigiri Mildew: You can also use plastic wrap to form the onigiri as an alternative of utilizing a mildew. Place a chunk of plastic movie on the working floor, moist your fingers, and put the rice on high. Collect the corners of the plastic movie and twist it just a few instances to tighten it across the rice.
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Type the rice right into a triangle form via the plastic in the identical method that I described above for hand-pressing the onigiri. Repeat with the remaining rice. Tip: To form the onigiri together with your fingers the standard manner, see the step-by-step directions and pictures in my Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) put up.
To Retailer
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Rice will get arduous while you refrigerate it. You’ll be able to individually wrap the Yaki Onigiri in plastic wrap and canopy them with a thick kitchen towel and retailer within the fridge for as much as 2 days. The towel will stop the rice from getting too chilly and hold the meals cool however not chilly. You can too retailer the Yaki Onigiri which might be individually plastic-wrapped within the freezer for as much as a month. Once you‘re able to eat, carry it again to room temperature and reheat in a microwave or frying pan.
Vitamin
Vitamin Details
Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball)
Quantity per Serving
% Every day Worth*
* P.c Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie eating regimen.
Editor’s Notice: This put up was initially printed on June 25, 2012. It’s been republished with new pictures, extra useful content material, and a revised recipe on September 18, 2023. A brand new video was added to the put up on March 23, 2024.
