Authentic Onigiri Recipe Japan, Asia

Whether enjoyed on its own or as a part of a bento box, onigiri is the quintessential Japanese snack that does not require any tools to make. Simply put, onigiri is a Japanese rice ball, that is typically filled with various ingredients such as salmon, katsuobushi (dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna), umeboshi (sour Japanese plum), and tsukudani (small pieces of seafood, meat or seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce and mirin). However, an onigiri does hot have to be filled at all. Also, unlike in the case of sushi, the rice for onigiri is just cooked Japanese short-grain rice, which is shaped by hand, typically into balls or triangles. Once assembled and filled, onigiris are often wrapped with nori, but in case they are grilled (yaki onigiri), they are not wrapped but brushed with either soy sauce or white miso as they are broiling or grilling.