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Ketchup with Linda

Easy, Tasty Everyday Foods

Onigiri

Fast. Easy. Delicious. Healthy. This Japanese rice balls packed with wholesomeness, definitely makes a great packed lunch and easy to eat on the go. 

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I have to admit I miss blogging very much. When I first decided to join this group, I never considers this to be a long-term commitment and I always thought that I can stop anytime I want to. Turned out… I’m totally addicted to it. Gulp! I decided to stop blogging last December because I didn’t have enough time and I had to prioritize among works, projects, house chores and family. It was a tough decision but I decided to let go of my previous blog, The Urban Mrs. The website contract had ended and I didn’t renew it as I thought I’d never blog again. And I was totally wrong!

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Maybe it’s a coincidence, out of the blue Frederick mentioned my blog. He told me how he missed seeing me blogging and having fun … so for his birthday this year (which is last week), he requested me to make a comeback to blogging world again. Yep, he’s definitely a keeper!

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So now, let’s talk about something fun … and yummylicious! O-nigiri (お握り or 御握り; おにぎり?), also known as o-musubi (お結び; おむすび?) or rice ball. It usually comes in triangular or oval shapes, wrapped in seaweed; however onigiri do not have to be triangular in shape, covered with nori seaweed, or have a filling.

Back in college days, I always brought my lunch from home – well, most of the time – as I would go straight to work after classes. So I had to bring simple foods to eat on the road. Onigiri is definitely it! I haven’t had it for a while, until few months ago when I went to downtown SF and saw onigiri stall. I couldn’t resist myself from not giving it a try, and buried my face on their unagi and bacon onigiri. Yes, everything tastes great with bacon, so here we go!

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Onigiri

  • Author: Brunch-n-Bites
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Description

Fast. Easy. Delicious. Healthy. This Japanese rice balls packed with wholesomeness, definitely makes a great packed lunch and easy to eat on the go.

Scale

Ingredients

Rice

  • Follow the directions for cooking the rice. Note it should be Japanese-style rice so it sticks together easily. However, you might want to leave the rice in the pot for about 20 to 30 minutes before turning the rice cooker or pot on, so that the rice can become sticky.
  • Let the rice stand for a few minutes for it to cool down before proceeding. As you’re waiting, make your fillings (if applicable as this is optional).

Fillings

Spam

  • 1 can spam, cut into strips

Tuna

  • 1 can of chunk light tuna
  • Low sodium soy sauce
  • Sesame seeds

Baked miso salmon

  • Vegetable oil, for coating the aluminum foil
  • ½ cup mirin
  • ½ cup miso paste
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbs peeled and grated fresh ginger (from about a 2-inch piece)
  • 1 salmon side (about 3½ pounds), skin on
  • 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

  1. Spam: place a sauté pan on a burner, turn up the heat, and fry away for 1-2 minutes on each side.
  2. Tuna: combine all ingredients and mix well.
  3. Baked miso salmon: heat the oven to broil and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat the foil with vegetable oil; set aside.
  4. Whisk the mirin, miso, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ginger in a medium bowl until combined. Reserve ⅓ cup of the miso mixture in a small bowl; set aside.
  5. Rinse the salmon under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and place on the baking sheet skin-side down.
  6. Brush the salmon with all of the reserved ⅓ cup miso mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Broil the salmon on the baking sheet, rotating once or twice, until it’s just opaque in the center and a golden brown crust has formed, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  8. Remove the salmon from the oven, transfer it to a plate. Flake fish with a fork and sprinkle it with sesame seeds.

How-to-shape:

  1. Round ‘visible inside’ shape onigiri:Place a cutting board or wax paper on the counter and wet your hands with water thoroughly (you can add a pinch of salt to your water). This is to keep the rice from sticking to your hands (although some grains will still stick) and to keep your hands cool from the hot rice. Scoop some rice with a spoon or scooper.
  2. Make a deep crater in the rice ball, but don’t puncture it to the point that your fingers slip to the other side! This is where your filling is going to go, so just deep enough to place things in.
  3. Insert your fillings into the hole and wrap nori (seaweed) around your onigiri.
  4. Triangle shape onigiri:Place a cutting board or wax paper on the counter and wet your hands with water thoroughly (you can add a pinch of salt to your water). This is to keep the rice from sticking to your hands (although some grains will still stick) and to keep your hands cool from the hot rice. Scoop some rice with a spoon or scooper.
  5. Make a deep crater in the rice ball, but don’t puncture it to the point that your fingers slip to the other side! This is where your filling is going to go, so just deep enough to place things in.
  6. Insert your fillings into the hole and make sure that you don’t overfill it!
  7. Fold some rice over the hole/crater so that all fillings are hidden. If you press too lightly, the rice won’t stick together and will crumble as you eat it. If you press too hard, the rice will get mushy and soggy. To make a triangle, make an “L” shape with your hand and use that to shape your rice with.
  8. Wrap nori (seaweed) around your onigiri. The seaweed keeps your hands rice-free and keeps the rice ball in its shape.
  • Category: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
  • Cuisine: Japanese

 

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What Readers Are Saying

  3. Linda!!! You’re back!!!! Hooray! and oh my gawd. . I love this!!! SO CUTE!!!! Recently, a friend of mine made little panda bear O-nigiri!! so cute!! Love this so much! and so glad to have you back! love love love the logo!

    Reply

  4. Welcome back! I love the new look and i LOVE onigiri! Lovely photos!

    I have moments when I consider shutting everything down especially those times when I get really overwhelmed. But I love the relationships that have developed online (of all places) and the creative outlet my blog provides. Anyway, I hope you’re back for a while…your absence was certainly felt! 🙂

    Reply

  5. I’ve never cooked with spam but I’m feeling a need to go pick some up & try this out! Sounds wonderful & I couldn’t help but smile at your last picture with the smiley rice face. Adorable!

    Reply

  6. Well I am sorry I missed your previous blog, but glad you have this one. I love sushi but never attempted to make it myself. Yours are stunning and look absolutely amazing. Good thing you listed to your hubby. Welcome back to the blogging world and to #Sundaysupper.

    Reply

    • Thanks, Marlene. So glad to be back and connected again. Can’t wait to collaborate with you one of these days.

      Reply

  9. I’m SO glad to see you blogging again, Linda! What a nice hubby to encourage you to follow your passion. And thanks for sharing these rice balls…they made me smile 🙂

    Reply

  14. Welcome back! Blogging is pretty hard to step away from, isn’t it? 🙂 These look fantastic, looks just like it came from a sushi restaurant.

    Reply

  21. I love these, and I have lots of leftover nori from my sushi so I can’t wait to give this a try. Such a low cost meal idea which we need right now.

    Reply

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Welcome to Let's Ketch-up With Linda

I'm a recipe developer, food photographer, and chocaholic living life in San Francisco. This blog is where I post brunch and modern classics comfort food recipes.