Miso yaki onigiri
Units
Servings
Ingredients
Rice
- 500 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice, warm rounded
- 15 ml rice vinegar, for sushi-style rice (optional) rounded
- 4 g sugar, for sushi-style rice (optional) rounded
- 3 g fine salt, for sushi-style rice (optional) rounded
- 7 ml neutral oil, for the pan rounded
Miso glaze
- 35 g miso paste, white or red rounded
- 15 ml mirin rounded
- 5 ml soy sauce or tamari rounded
- 4 g sugar rounded
- 5 ml sake or water, to loosen rounded
Method
Method
- If using sushi-style seasoning, stir the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt together until dissolved. Fold it gently into the warm cooked rice.
- Let the rice cool only until it is comfortable to handle. Do not let it get cold, or it will be harder to shape.
- Stir the miso glaze ingredients together until smooth. Add just enough sake or water to make it brushable.
- Wet your hands lightly with water. Shape the rice into 6 firm but not crushed rounded triangles. An onigiri mold also works well.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and brush with neutral oil. Parchment paper in the pan helps prevent sticking and burning.
- Grill the rice balls for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the outside is firm and lightly golden. For triangles, briefly crisp the three edges too.
- Reduce the heat to low. Brush one side with the miso glaze, flip, and cook for 10 to 20 seconds.
- Brush the second side, flip again, and cook another 10 to 20 seconds. Remove as soon as the glaze smells toasted and looks caramelized.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Japanese short-grain rice is important. Long-grain rice will not hold together well.
- The sushi-style vinegar, sugar, and salt are optional. Traditional yaki onigiri is often made from plain Japanese rice shaped with salted hands.
- Miso and sugar burn quickly. The rice should be crisp before the glaze goes on.
- This is not keto because it is rice-based.
- Optional additions: sesame seeds mixed into the rice, shiso leaves, nori strips, furikake, or a small filling such as tuna mayo, salmon, or pickled plum.