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 dwelling!
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.
When you have an affinity for each rice and grilled meals, you’ll completely get pleasure from 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 mushy. 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 in style dishes comparable to Teriyaki, Yakisoba, Yakiniku, and Yakitori. Alternatively, “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 should not have charcoal or grill of their properties, 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 here), earlier than pan-grilling them in a pan. It’s each bit as simple to make because it sounds!
Methods to Make Yaki Onigiri at House
The Components 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 possibly can 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 luxuriate in whereas sizzling!
What’s the Finest Rice Cooker
To make the proper 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 best Japanese rice cooker I’ve ever used! You will get it on Amazon for $458.29, and it’s properly value it for those who prepare dinner numerous rice.
Filling or No Filling in Yaki Onigiri
These grilled rice balls may be made with fillings, however sometimes, it’s ready with plain or seasoned rice. I favor 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 isn’t one thing too difficult. I’ve shared step-by-step footage and recommendations on how you can kind the rice balls within the recipe part under, so you’ll grasp it very quickly. As soon as you will have 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 may be artistic with completely different flavors. Listed here are my solutions!
- Eel Sauce. I like my Homemade Unagi Sauce, and the savory aroma and style of this caramelized candy soy sauce mix completely with white rice, particularly for those who prefer it to be on the sweeter aspect.
- Teriyaki Sauce. Undoubtedly make my Homemade Teriyaki Sauce for this!
- Negi Miso. My Homemade Negi Miso is so scrumptious. I’ll put it contained in the onigiri, too, however you’ll be able to positively slather on the surface and sear a bit.
- All Goal Miso Sauce. This Homemade All Purpose Miso Sauce goes properly with the whole lot.
What to Serve with Yaki Onigiri
To be trustworthy, I can simply devour yaki onigiri on their very own, however for a balanced meal, you’ll be able to 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 dwelling!
Components
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
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 observe 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 (sometimes 110 g every). Optionally available: To make 5–6 rice balls, prepare 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 stove, Instant 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 stuffed with water. Soak the onigiri mold and lid within the water to moisten so the rice doesn‘t stick 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 way in which to the highest edge, ensuring to fill the corners. Cowl with the lid and push down firmly. You must 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 forestall 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 an everyday onigiri. First, moisten each palms with a little bit of water to forestall the rice from sticking. Then, choose up a rice ball in your left (non-dominant) hand. Place your proper (dominant) hand on prime of the rice in a “mountain” form and gently press the triangle nook. On the similar 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, for those who‘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, at all times protecting your left hand on the underside and your proper hand on prime. 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 isn’t.
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In the event you don‘t need to contact the rice together with your fingers, you’ll be able to 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 a couple of instances to tighten it across the rice. Kind 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 prime. Collect the corners of the plastic movie and twist it a couple of instances to tighten it across the rice.
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Kind the rice right into a triangle form by 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 approach, see the step-by-step directions and pictures in my Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) submit.
To Retailer
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Rice will get exhausting whenever you refrigerate it. You possibly can 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 forestall the rice from getting too chilly and preserve the meals cool however not chilly. You can even retailer the Yaki Onigiri which might be individually plastic-wrapped within the freezer for as much as a month. While you‘re able to eat, deliver it again to room temperature and reheat in a microwave or frying pan.
Diet
Diet Info
Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball)
Quantity per Serving
% Day by day Worth*
* P.c Day by day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.
Editor’s Observe: This submit was initially revealed on June 25, 2012. It’s been republished with new photos, extra useful content material, and a revised recipe on September 18, 2023. A brand new video was added to the submit on March 23, 2024.
