These Tuna Mayo Onigiri are certain to turn into your favourite grab-and-go meals! They’re scrumptious, moveable, and completely kid-friendly. I’ll present you two straightforward methods to make these Japanese rice balls in your bento lunch, snack, or picnic.
Rising up in Japan, I all the time had onigiri (these cutely formed Japanese rice balls) packed in my bento lunches for varsity. Little did I do know that my childhood favourite would turn into a mainstay lunch meals world wide! At present, I’m excited to deliver you a preferred model: Tuna Mayo Onigiri.
When you love Japanese rice balls, strive my Onigiri, Yaki Onigiri, or Spam Onigirazu subsequent!
What’s Onigiri?
Onigiri (おにぎり) is the unique Japanese journey meals. These moveable and handheld rice balls have fed vacationers on lengthy journeys, warriors on the battlefield, and farmers within the fields since lengthy earlier than fashionable refrigeration. Often known as nigirimeshi (握り飯) or omusubi (おむすび), they have been salted to maintain the rice protected at room temperature and full of bitter or salty fillings as a pure preservative. Lately, you’ll discover this fashionable consolation meals packed in bentos and picnics and stocked at Japan’s comfort shops and onigiri retailers.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Pantry-friendly substances – I all the time inventory my pantry with canned tuna, Japanese rice, and nori so I’m able to make these scrumptious onigiri at a second’s discover.
- Two straightforward strategies for shaping – I’ll present you easy methods to use both an onigiri mildew or plastic wrap for 2 mess-free choices. You will discover all my useful ideas within the directions under.
- Delivers an vitality enhance – These rice balls are a neat package deal of carbs, lean protein, and Omega-3 fatty acids. They’ll present a fast enhance of vitality anytime.
Components for Tuna Mayo Onigiri
- Canned albacore tuna – packed in olive oil, ideally
- Japanese mayonnaise
- Soy sauce
- Japanese short-grain white rice
- Salt
- Sheet of nori seaweed – optionally available; you’ll be able to eat the onigiri with out the seaweed
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
Substitutions
- Japanese short-grain white rice: With its barely sticky texture, cooked short-grain white rice holds collectively effectively to maintain the onigiri’s form. Sadly, there’s no good substitute. Please keep away from jasmine or different varieties, as they may disintegrate.
- Japanese mayonnaise: Made with egg yolks, Japanese mayo has a richer and sweeter taste with a creamier texture than common mayonnaise. When you don’t have it, you possibly can attempt to make American mayo style extra like Japanese mayo, however it received’t be the identical. In a pinch, I recommend whisking 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 Tbsp sugar into 1 cup of American mayonnaise (I exploit Finest Meals/Hellmann’s model).
- Onigiri mildew – You can also make many alternative onigiri shapes, however for this recipe, I used a triangular onigiri mildew. When you don’t have one, you should utilize plastic wrap and a rice bowl, as proven within the recipe under.
Tips on how to Make Tuna Mayo Onigiri
Preparation
Step 1 – Make the tuna mayo filling. Combine the drained canned tuna, Japanese kewpie mayo, and a small splash of soy sauce collectively in a small bowl.
Assemble
Step 2 – Fill the onigiri mildew midway with heat rice, then add some tuna mayo combination. Earlier than you do, first moisten the onigiri mildew with water and sprinkle salt inside. When you don’t have a mildew, use plastic wrap nestled in a rice bowl; see the recipe for my methodology.
Step 3 – Add extra rice and press down. Cowl the tuna mayo with extra rice and fill the mildew to the highest. Sprinkle extra salt, cowl with the lid, and press down firmly to compress the rice.
Step 4 – Launch the onigiri from the mildew. Invert it over a plate and push the “button” on the mildew’s backside to launch the onigiri.
Step 5 – Wrap a nori sheet round it like a kimono. Depart the highest nook of the onigiri unwrapped and add a dollop of tuna mayo to it. Serve instantly or pack right into a bento or picnic field.
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Use sizzling, freshly cooked rice. You should use heat rice when making onigiri, and freshly cooked rice offers the very best texture. I prefer to switch the recent rice from the rice cooker to a big bowl, tray, or sushi oke (hangiri) and let it cool barely earlier than dealing with.
- Moisten the mildew to forestall sticking. Arrange a bowl of water at your work station. Dunk the mildew and lid within the water, then shake off the surplus. You can even moist them underneath working water.
- Sprinkle salt to maintain the rice protected. Salting preserves the rice longer. That is particularly vital if you happen to’re packing them for bento or a picnic. Remember to hold the onigiri cool with ice packs in an insulated bag and eat inside 6 hours.
- Keep away from overfilling the onigiri. I recommend utilizing 1 tsp of filling per rice ball. Any greater than that and the onigiri won’t maintain collectively.
- Wrap the nori proper earlier than you serve if you happen to prefer it crispy. Preserve the nori in an hermetic bag or container so it doesn’t get stale within the meantime. Some retailers promote onigiri that has nori wrapped round it already so the seaweed absorbs moisture. We take pleasure in each types, so it’s as much as your desire.
Variations and Customization
- Make it spicy. Attempt spicy tuna onigiri by including sriracha to the tuna combination.
- Change up the filling. Attempt one of many many fashionable onigiri fillings like Japanese Salted Salmon, okaka (soy sauce-flavored bonito flakes), Umeboshi, shio kombu, and karashi mentaiko, to call just some. I’ve additionally used leftover Japanese fried hen and shrimp tempura to fill my onigiri!
- Change the wrap. Attempt wrapping the skin of the onigiri with shiso (perilla) leaves or sprinkle it with furikake (Japanese rice seasoning).
- Use blended rice. As a substitute of plain steamed rice, it’s also possible to use Takikomi Gohan (blended rice) or Corn Rice.
- Grill it to make yaki onigiri. Grill it in a frying pan and baste it with soy sauce or miso to make grilled rice balls. It’ll be scrumptious to function is. Miso Yaki Onigiri is my favourite! Or you’ll be able to place it in a bowl and pour tea to make Yaki Onigiri Chazuke.
What to Serve with Tuna Mayo Onigiri
Tuna Mayo Onigiri is scrumptious both heat or at room temperature. Attempt serving it with these different recipes that additionally work superbly at room temperature:
Storage Ideas
- To retailer: To pack the onigiri for bento or a picnic, hold it cool with ice packs in an insulated bag and eat it inside 6 hours. Onigiri turns into onerous when refrigerated, because the chilly air dries out the rice. I don’t advocate making onigiri too far upfront. Nonetheless, if you want to, my trick is to wrap the onigiri in thick kitchen towels earlier than inserting it within the fridge. This retains the onigiri cool and protected with out making it too chilly.
Incessantly Requested Questions
When you favor crispy nori, wrap it instantly earlier than serving your onigiri. Preserve it in an hermetic bag or container within the meantime to maintain it from getting stale.
I don’t advocate making onigiri too far upfront. You’ll must retailer it within the fridge in a single day, and the fridge’s chilly air will dry out the rice and make it onerous. Nonetheless, if you want to, you possibly can wrap the onigiri in thick kitchen towels earlier than inserting it within the fridge. This retains the onigiri cool and protected with out making it too chilly.
You’ll be able to take pleasure in onigiri heat or at room temperature, in order that they’re excellent in your lunchbox or as a moveable snack on the go. As I discussed earlier, rice will get dry and onerous within the fridge. I recommend warming it within the microwave for just a few seconds or leaving it out at room temperature for quarter-hour earlier than you take pleasure in it.
That is doubtless as a result of kind of rice you used. It’s important to make use of Japanese short-grain white rice, which has simply the correct stage of stickiness to carry the onigiri collectively. Whereas glutinous rice (what folks name “sticky rice”) isn’t used for onigiri, short-grain Japanese rice supplies the best texture. Additionally, make sure to soak the rice for 20–half-hour earlier than cooking, so it absorbs sufficient moisture. Brief-grain rice has a plumper form than different varieties, which implies it wants a bit extra time to completely hydrate to its core.
Sure, you’ll be able to. They’re really the identical factor! Japanese short-grain white rice is commonly labeled “sushi rice” for advertising functions outdoors of Japan, regardless that it’s most frequently utilized in on a regular basis meals to make onigiri rice balls, donburi rice bowls, omurice, and different typical Japanese dishes.
Extra Onigiri Recipes
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
- Collect all of the substances. For making onigiri, please use sizzling, freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice. See easy methods to prepare dinner it with a rice cooker, pot over the range, Prompt Pot, or donabe.
To make the tuna salad, drain ½ (5-ounce) can albacore tuna (ideally packed in olive oil). Switch to a bowl and break up the tuna chunks into small flakes. Add 1 Tbsp Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and ¼ tsp soy sauce Combine effectively to mix.
Technique 1: Utilizing an Onigiri Mould
- To maintain the rice from sticking to it, moist an onigiri mildew and lid in a bowl of water and shake off the surplus water. Sprinkle salt within the moistened mildew. Fill it midway with rice, ensuring to tuck the rice into the corners.
To the middle, add a spoonful of tuna mayo filling (about 1–2 tsp). Add extra rice to cowl the tuna mayo and fill the mildew to the highest edge.
Sprinkle the highest of the rice with a bit extra salt. Cowl with the lid and push down firmly. It’s best to really feel a slight resistance as you compress the rice; if not, add a bit extra.
Take away the lid, flip the mildew over, and push the “button” to launch the rice ball onto a plate. Repeat to make the remaining onigiri. Tip: Dip your fingers in water earlier than touching the onigiri to maintain the rice from sticking to them.
Technique 2: Utilizing Plastic Wrap
Place a chunk of plastic wrap in a rice bowl or any small bowl and sprinkle it with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Add about ⅓ cup rice. Tip: Salting the rice helps to protect it longer.
Create a small indentation within the middle of the rice, then add a spoonful of tuna mayo, about 1–2 tsp. Add one other ⅓ cup rice on high to cowl the tuna mayo fully.
Sprinkle the rice with extra salt. Collect the corners of the plastic wrap and twist the plastic to tighten it across the rice.
Gently press the rice along with your high hand in a “mountain” form to kind a triangle nook. On the identical time, gently squeeze along with your backside hand to flatten both aspect. Rotate and press 2–3 extra instances to kind the opposite triangle corners. Tip: Press firmly sufficient so the onigiri doesn’t disintegrate, however don’t squeeze too tightly. Attempt to hold the rice ball as ethereal as doable.
To Wrap with Nori
Reduce 1 sheet nori (dried laver seaweed) into thirds. Wrap the onigiri from each side with a strip of nori seaweed, leaving the highest nook uncovered. When you like crispy nori, then wait to wrap the onigiri proper earlier than serving; hold the nori in an hermetic container or bag so it doesn’t get stale within the meantime.
Tuck the nori underneath the underside of the onigiri. Place a dollop of tuna mayo filling on the highest nook. Serve heat or at room temperature.
To Retailer
When you‘d prefer to take onigiri in your lunch, hold it cool in an insulated bag with ice packs and eat inside 6 hours. Onigiri will get onerous if you refrigerate it and the chilly air dries out the rice. So, I don‘t advocate making it too far forward of time. But when you actually need to, my trick is to wrap the onigiri with thick kitchen towels and retailer it within the fridge. The onigiri might be cool and protected however shouldn’t get chilly and dry.
Energy: 199 kcal · Carbohydrates: 32 g · Protein: 8 g · Fats: 4 g · Saturated Fats: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fats: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fats: 1 g · Trans Fats: 0.01 g · Ldl cholesterol: 12 mg · Sodium: 208 mg · Potassium: 79 mg · Fiber: 0.003 g · Sugar: 0.03 g · Vitamin A: 62 IU · Vitamin C: 0.3 mg · Calcium: 7 mg · Iron: 2 mg