Yakitori Yurippi's onigiri (Japanese rice balls) are best grilled on a hibachi, but also work well grilled on the barbecue. To make onigiri, you'll need glutinous white rice, toasted nori sheets and a sticky-sweet miso glaze made with sake, mirin and red miso. Pour out some soy sauce into a small bowl, grate fresh wasabi and serve this side dish as part of a Japanese feast.
Yakitori Yurippi's onigiri
Master one of Japan's most famous street food snacks - Japanese rice balls.
- 15 mins preparation
- 30 mins cooking (plus cooling, refrigerating)
- Makes 12
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Ingredients
- 460 gm (2 cups) glutinous rice
- 2 toasted nori sheets, cut into 6cm-squares
- Freshly grated wasabi, to serve
Miso glaze
- 50 ml sake
- 50 ml mirin
- 100 gm caster sugar
- 200 gm aka (red) miso
Method
- 1Cook rice according to packet instructions. Once cooked, spread out on a tray and stand until cool enough to handle (20 minutes).
- 2Preheat a charcoal barbecue (hibachi) or gas barbecue to high.
- 3Using wet hands, shape sticky rice into 12 balls (110gm each), applying pressure with your palms and fingers until a firm ball is created. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and slightly press to flatten and shape into a triangle. Cover loosely with baking paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- 4Grill onigiri, turning occasionally, until lightly charred each side (7-8 minutes). Brush with miso glaze and cook until charred and crisp (2 minutes). Place squares of toasted nori on serving plates and top with onigiri. Brush with miso glaze and serve with freshly grated wasabi.
