Filled Onigiri (具入りおにぎり) — Japanese Rice Balls with Classic Fillings

• 450 gJapanese short-grain white rice
• 540 mlwater (for cooking the rice)
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 120 gsalmon fillet (skinless if possible)
• 1 cancanned tuna (drained, 120 g can)
• 2 tbspJapanese mayonnaise
• 6 gkatsuobushi bonito flakes
• 2 tspJapanese soy sauce
• 3 sheettoasted nori (cut crosswise into 6 wide strips)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the rice in a bowl and rinse it with cold water, swirling firmly with your hand, then drain immediately. Repeat 4 to 5 times until the water is much less cloudy, then drain the rice in a sieve for 20 minutes so the grains hydrate evenly.

2. 2

   Cook the drained rice with 540 ml water in a rice cooker using the standard white-rice setting. If using a saucepan, bring the rice and water to a boil, cover tightly, cook over low heat for 12 minutes, turn off the heat, and rest covered for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Season the salmon with 0.5 tsp fine sea salt and cook it under a broiler or in a small skillet over medium heat until just cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes depending on thickness. Cool slightly, remove any skin or pin bones, and flake the fish into small moist pieces.

4. 4

   For the tuna mayonnaise filling, mix the drained tuna with Japanese mayonnaise until the mixture is cohesive but not wet. For the okaka filling, toss the katsuobushi bonito flakes with the soy sauce until the flakes are evenly seasoned and slightly glossy.

5. 5

   Fluff the hot rice gently with a rice paddle, cutting through the grains rather than mashing them. Let it cool only until it is comfortable to handle, because onigiri shape best while the rice is still warm and slightly tacky.

6. 6

   Dissolve 2 tsp fine sea salt in 120 ml water, then lightly wet both hands with this salted water. Place about 150 g warm rice in one palm, make a shallow hollow, add about 20 g salmon, tuna mayonnaise, or okaka filling, and cover the filling completely with rice.

7. 7

   Shape each filled portion into a triangle by pressing gently with cupped palms, turning the rice ball after each press. Use firm but light pressure, because squeezing too hard will crush the grains and make the onigiri dense instead of tender.

8. 8

   Wrap each onigiri with one strip of toasted nori just before serving so the seaweed keeps some crispness. If packing for a lunchbox, cool the rice balls fully first and wrap the nori separately until eating time.