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How to make onigiri

Chef Mica Kazato of Sydney’s Parami shares her recipe for the traditional Japanese snack.
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10
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20M
1H 5M

Onigiri can be simply described as a rice ball, with origins dating back more than 1000 years to the Heian period, it evolved as a portable meal for travellers, warriors, and farmers. These days it can be found in konbini (convenience stores), onigiri-ya (specialty shops) and cafés across Japan, and now increasingly in Australia. “Many people might confuse it with sushi, but sushi is made with vinegared rice, while onigiri uses regular rice,” says Parami chef Mica Kazato.

Shaped into triangles (to imitate mountains) or spheres and typically wrapped in nori, onigiri are beloved for being easy to eat on the go. As the filling is seasoned, unlike sushi it’s not served with soy sauce, making it the ultimate all-in-one snack.

If you’re not a fan of salmon, check out some vegetarian onigiri variations below.

Ingredients

Rice

Method

1

Combine 1 tbsp fine salt and sugar in a sealable plastic bag. Add salmon and lightly massage to coat in curing mixture. Refrigerate overnight to cure.

Curing the salmon.
Step 1
2

Preheat oven to 120°C fan-forced. For rice, rinse rice in a bowl of cold water at least 5 times until water runs clear, then soak in 750ml (3 cups) water and refrigerate for 2 hours. Drain. Place rice and koji in a large saucepan, cover with 450ml water and bring to the simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low; cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed (10 minutes). Remove from heat; stand, covered, for 10 minutes (see note). Use a rice paddle to mix the rice; keep warm.

Cooking the rice.
Step 2
3

Meanwhile, rinse fish under cold running water to wash off excess curing mixture and pat dry with paper towel. Place salmon on a small tray lined with baking paper and roast until just cooked through (15 minutes). Cool briefly; flake salmon into 15gm portions.

Flaking the salmon.
Step 3
4

To assemble, using wet hands, sprinkle ½ tsp salt over your palm. Take 100gm cooked rice, spread it flat on hand. Place a portion of salmon in centre, then shape rice into a triangle around salmon to cover. Wrap in nori.

Wrapping the salmon and rice in nori.
Step 4

Variations of onigiri

To make mustard greens-filled onigiri (makes 4):

  1. Squeeze excess liquid from 75gm pickled mustard greens (takana; see note), then coarsely chop.
  2. Place 400gm warm cooked rice (Step 2 above), 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 1½ tsp sesame oil, ¾ tsp mentsuyu (see note) and mustard greens in a bowl; stir well to combine.
  3. Divide rice mixture into four portions (about 120gm each).
  4. To assemble, lightly wet hands, then shape into triangles.

To make Ume-shiso kombu-filled onigiri (makes 4):

  1. Place 400gm warm cooked rice (Step 2 above), 2 tsp yukari (see note), 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 20gm shio kombu (see note) and 1 deseeded and finely chopped umeboshi plum in a bowl; stir well to combine.
  2. Divide rice mixture into four portions (about 110gm each).
  3. To assemble, lightly wet hands, then shape into triangles.

This recipe also calls for curing, soaking, cooling (see method).

Start this recipe 1 day ahead to cure salmon.

Takana are spicy pickled mustard greens found in the refrigerated food section of Japanese grocers; mentsuyu is a Japanese soup base used for flavouring soups and noodles. Yukari is rice seasoning made from dried purple shiso leaves and salt. Shio kombu are very thinly sliced strips of kelp seaweed that have been slowly simmered in soy sauce until tender, then dusted in salt. All these ingredients are available from Japanese grocers.

Note

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