Nikumaki Onigiri Recipe (Japanese Meat Wrapped Rice Balls) - My Japanese Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between rice balls and onigiri? ›

Both are rice balls, and the contents are the same. They are simply called by different names depending on the region and the shape.

Samgak kimbap was first introduced from Japan in the 1990s. Some people describe it as Korean onigiri (오니기리), owing to its similarity to the dish; Onigiri is a general term for Japanese rice balls. However, in Korea, samgak kimbap typically refers to the triangle rice ball fully wrapped with dried seaweed.

Nutritious: This recipe mainly consists of rice, which is a good source of carbohydrates. Depending on the other ingredients you include, onigiri can be a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Kid-Friendly: I think Japanese Rice Balls are maybe the most kid-friendly lunch or snack ever.

Onigiri takes its name from the Japanese word nigiru, meaning “to grasp” or “to squeeze,” so called because it is pressed by hand into a ball. The snack has also been called nigirimeshi, another term from which the name onigiri is derived.

Even stored this way, your onigiri will taste best within 24 hours, as the rice will begin to dry out. While onigiri are classically served at room temperature, you can also serve them chilled, or slightly warmed in a microwave or toaster oven.

If you use tuna with mayonnaise or any filling with mayonnaise in it, do not keep more than a day to be safe. If you use traditional fillings, especially umeboshi (pickled salty plums) they will last a lot longer, but no more than a couple of days.

Rice is consumed in huge quantities by the Japanese, so much so that it is served with virtually every meal of the day, including breakfast. As a low-fat carbohydrate, rice fills you up so there's less room for fattening and artery-clogging foods.

Adored by all ages, onigiri prove their importance and popularity in Japanese everyday lives. We make rice balls for school and work lunches and for many outdoor activities and events. In some ways, they are the Japanese idea of energy bars. We snack on onigiri when we need a quick boost of energy and sustenance.

Because it is easily portable and eaten by hand, onigiri has been used as portable food or bento from ancient times to the present day. Originally, it was used as a way to use and store left-over rice, but it later became a regular meal.

If you go shopping at convenience stores in Japan, you will see a variety of packaged rice balls lined up on the shelf. These Japanese rice balls are generally called “Onigiri (おにぎり)” or “Omusubi (おむすび)”.

Why is onigiri not sushi? ›

At first glance, Onigiri (also known as O-musubi, or rice ball) looks like a type of sushi. But there are a few, key differences, that separate it from the rest! Most notably, the rice ball is made from salted rice, not vinegar rice.

This easy onigiri recipe is also fun to make! These rice balls are a staple of Japanese lunchboxes (bento). You can put almost anything in these rice balls; try substituting grilled salmon, pickled plums, beef, pork, turkey, or tuna with mayonnaise.

Onigiri (おにぎり) are Japanese rice balls made of steamed rice that you compress into a triangular, ball, or cylinder shape and are usually wrapped in a nori seaweed sheet. You can flavor them lightly with just salt or add a variety of fillings.

Onigiri are also often called omusubi （おむすび）. Some more obscure regional names include nigirimama and oninko. You can also drop the honorific o and call it musubi, nigiri, or nigirimeshi (which literally means "hand-pressed rice".

For onigiri that holds its shape well, it's important to use short-grain Japonica rice, such as “sushi” rice, a category that includes Calrose and Koshihikari rice and, as Sho notes, simply refers to varieties of rice preferred in Japan.