Easy Onigiri Recipe: Japanese Rice Balls

Ingredients

• 4 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
• 5.5 cups water, divided
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 cup bonito shavings (dry fish flakes)
• 2 sheets nori (dry seaweed), cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Rinse rice in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, combine the rinsed rice with 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Allow the rice to rest for 15 minutes, allowing it to further steam and become tender. Let the cooked rice cool.
2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of water with salt. Use this mixture to dampen your hands before handling the rice. Divide the cooked rice into 8 equal portions, using one portion for each onigiri.
3. Divide one portion of rice in half. Create a small indentation in the rice and fill it with a generous teaspoon of bonito flakes. Cover with the remaining rice and gently press to seal the filling inside the rice ball. Gently shape the rice into a triangle, wrap with a strip of nori seaweed, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining portions of rice.

Nutrition

• Calories: 744 kcal
• Fat Content: 3 g
• Fiber Content: 6 g
• Sugar Content: 1 g
• Sodium Content: 160 mg
• Protein Content: 14 g
• Carbohydrate Content: 159 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g