4.8 from 8 votes
Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
These Yaki Onigiri, or grilled rice balls, have a layer of fluffy rice sandwiched between two ultra-crispy layers of browned rice. Seasoned with butter and soy sauce, they make a mouth-wateringly delicious meal from just a few basic ingredients.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings:
3
rice
Calories:
274 kcal
Course:
Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine:
Japanese
Ingredients
For rice
- 160 grams Japanese short-grain rice (1 rice cooker cup or ¾ US cup)
- 1 cup water
For onigiri
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon potato starch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter cultured, unsalted
- shiso leaves for wrapping
- Nori sheets for wrapping
Instructions
- Use the measuring cup and water lines on the cooker bowl to cook 1 rice cooker cup of rice.
- If you're doing it on the stove, wash the 160 grams Japanese short-grain rice in a few changes of water until it runs mostly clear. Drain it in a sieve. Add it to a tall pot along with 1 cup water. Cover the pot with a lid, and then bring the water to a boil over high heat. As soon as it's boiling, turn the heat down as low as it will go. Set a timer for 13 minutes. After the timer goes off, turn the heat off and let it continue steaming for another 10-15 minutes. Do not open the lid at any point during the cooking or steaming process.
- Once it's done steaming, pour the 2 tablespoon soy sauce evenly over the rice and use a folding and cutting motion with a spatula or paddle to evenly distribute the soy sauce until it is uniform in color.
- Level off the top of the mixture and then divide it into thirds like a pizza.
- If you're shaping the yaki onigiri by hand, click this link for specific instructions. If you're using an onigiri mold, just get it wet and stuff each mold with a segment of rice. Press the onigiri mold together more than you normally would so that it holds its shape.
- Put the onigiri on a parchment-lined or plastic wrap-lined tray. Dust each onigiri with a thin coating of the 1 teaspoon potato starch by passing it through a fine-mesh sieve like a tea strainer. Flip the onigiri over and dust the other side. Try not to get starch onto the sides of the onigiri.
- Put a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and when it is moderately hot, add about half of the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and arrange the onigiri so they're sitting on a small pool of oil.
- Fry undisturbed until they're golden brown and crisp on one side (about 7-10 minutes).
- Flip them over, and then add a bit more oil to fry the second side until crisp and browned.
- Finish the Yaki Onigiri off by melting some of the 1 tablespoon cultured unsalted butter directly onto each browned surface of the onigiri and then roll them on their 3 sides to cook any stray starch.
- Serve the fried rice balls wrapped in Shiso leaves or Nori sheets
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
274kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
43g
(14%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Trans Fat
0.2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
10mg
(3%)
Sodium
676mg
(28%)
Potassium
74mg
(2%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
0.2g
(0%)
Vitamin A
117IU
(2%)
Vitamin C
0.03mg
(0%)
Calcium
8mg
(1%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3 rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 274
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 274kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 10mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 676mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 74mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 0.2g | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 117IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.03mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 8mg | 1% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.