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Yaki onigiri
Grilled rice balls
焼きおにぎり: grilled rice balls brushed with a soy and mirin glaze until crisp and golden
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the rice balls
- 1 ⅛ lb freshly cooked Japanese short-grain ricewarm
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
For cooking
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Stir ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds into the warm 1 ⅛ lb freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice. Wet your hands with cold water so the rice doesn't stick.
Step 2: Take an eighth of the rice and press it firmly into a flat triangle about 2.5 cm thick, turning and squeezing it in your cupped hands. Press harder than for ordinary onigiri so it doesn't fall apart in the pan. Make 8, then leave them uncovered for 10 minutes so the surface dries a little.
Step 4: Brush a non-stick frying pan with 1 tsp vegetable oil and heat over a medium heat. Cook the rice balls for 3–4 minutes without moving them. Don't poke them: they release from the pan by themselves once the base is crisp and golden and sounds dry and crackly. Turn and cook the other side.
7 minStep 5: Brush the tops with glaze, turn and cook for 30 seconds, then brush and turn again. Repeat once more until both sides are glossy and lightly caramelised. Watch closely: the sugar burns quickly. Serve hot.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yaki onigiri take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of freshly cooked japanese short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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