← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 360 g Japanese short-grain rice
• 430 ml Water
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs nearly clear, then soak it in the measured water for 30 min. Bring to the boil, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 12 min, then rest off the heat, covered, for 10 min.
2. Stir the salt through the rice. Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
3. With wet, lightly salted hands (or using cling film), shape the warm rice into 8 firm triangles about 2.5 cm thick. Press them well so they hold together on the pan.
4. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the rice balls for 4–5 min per side, without moving them, until they are crisp and lightly golden. Crisp the edges too.
5. Lower the heat, brush the tops with glaze and turn them over for 30 seconds, then glaze and turn again so both sides turn glossy and lightly charred. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and eat warm.

Tips

• Leftover rice works: warm it in the microwave first so it sticks when shaped. Cool any leftovers quickly and refrigerate.
• Contains soy (wheat). Try brushing with miso mixed with a little mirin for miso yaki onigiri.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Chopstick Chronicles