In my country, all the supermarkets sell this for a quick snack, but in Belgium, it’s not just the Pao Buns. Eating sandwiches all the time can get boring. This snack that fills your tummy during lunch is very easy to make. I also packed this for my partner to take to the office, and it amazed his colleagues. It may look difficult to make, but it’s just an illusion. Homemade is always better because you can choose any ingredients you want to put in your rice ball, and it’s quite filling.
For the filling, personally, I like salmon teriyaki, soy salmon grilled, tuna mayo, and Tamago. What do you like? If you want to use other European-style spreads like surimi mayo, I think it goes well. Let me know in the comments which filling you made or usually eat 😊
Tips:
- You can use rice vinegar to help it stick together easily, but if your plain rice is holding well, there’s no need. However, if you enjoy the taste of vinegar in your rice, like me, you can add it to make it taste like sushi.
- Do not wrap the Nori (seaweed) right away; only wrap it when you are ready to eat. Otherwise, it will become soft and lose its crispiness.
- Make the rice ball while it’s hot; this helps it hold together well.
- Wet your hands with water when forming the ball, so the rice will not stick to your hands.
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Onigiri (Japanese rice ball)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Marinate the Salmon: Preheat the oven to 180 c. Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish. Pour half of the teriyaki sauce over the salmon, making sure it’s well coated. Let the salmon marinate for about 15-30 minutes.
- Cook the Salmon: Remove the salmon from the marinade and bake for 15 minutes in the oven or until the salmon is cooked through. Brush the salmon with the remaining teriyaki sauce while grilling. Once done, remove the salmon from the heat and mashed the salmon into small pieces.
- Prepare the Rice: Rinse the sushi rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine the rinsed rice and water in a rice cooker or a heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot and 10-15 mins or until the water is drained.
- Rice vinegar: In a small bowl, pour the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt mixed-well. Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and gently fold in the seasoned vinegar mixture. Allow the rice to cool.
- Assemble the Onigiri: Wet your hands to prevent the rice from sticking, and then place a small amount of rice in the palm of your hand. Make an indentation in the center of the rice and place a potion of mashed salmon in the center. Shape the rice into a triangle or round ball, enclosing the salmon. Wrap a strip of nori around the onigiri to hold it together.
- Optional: Sprinkle sesame seeds on top for garnish if you like. Also, if you do not want to shape the rice yourself. The shaping plastic is available in the market, I also used them.
