Onigiri, One of the Most Loved and Popular Foods in Japan

Onigiri is a nostalgic comfort food for most people in Japan, as we have eaten it since childhood. It can be a meal or a snack, and can even be served at a house party. It is also a very popular item in a bento as well as a treat for picnics because onigiri is so portable and hand-held; just like a hamburger or sandwich. More than anything though, onigiri are scrumptious!

As it's widely known, rice is a staple food in Japan. In fact, there are more than 300 kinds of rice plants that are cultivated here along with about 800-900 brands of rice for sale today! This shows how much painstaking care we Japanese have put into caring for and cultivating this grain, and how prevalent it is in our everyday lives. It's been more than 2,000 years since rice plants came into Japan from China, and it seems our ancestors have evolved rice quite a bit since then, then it is safe to say that onigiri has been present in any period and any region throughout our history and into the present day.

For anyone who is unfamiliar with onigiri, it is short grain rice shaped into a triangle, rectangle or round ball. It's often filled with savory fillings like salty pickled plums, boiled kelp in soy sauce, tuna with mayo, grilled salmon with salt, and so on.

Nowadays, fillings for onigiri have become more varied, including ingredients from western-style food. Everything from avocado and cheese to larger foods like simmered chunks of pork and whole boiled eggs have been used. You may also find international seasonings such as ketchup and butter included. If these onigiris are starting to remind you of a sandwich, you are not alone! There are no rules for filling your onigiri; whatever tastes good works! The possibilities are now endless.

But where can you find onigiri then? The answer is EVERYWHERE. It is easily found in supermarkets, delicatessen sections at department stores, and diners. There are even shops that deal only in onigiri. However, the easiest place to find onigiri is convenient stores. They always carry various onigiri and are located on practically every corner in Japan!

Although you can get onigiri easily, I really urge you to make an onigiri on your own. Give it a try once! You can make it with your favorite ingredients and adjust things like salt and even the firmness while shaping it. Your onigiri may be fluffy, but shaping it tightly is also nice. In fact, I will show you a recipe of one of the more basic fillings: tuna and mayo. You can find it below.

 How to Make Tuna-mayo Onigiri

[Ingredients]

Steamed rice, dried seaweed sheet (Nori), tuna (canned is fine), mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper if you like

[Steps]

❶ Cut the seaweed sheet to fit the size of your onigiri. Mix tuna with some mayonnaise, and if you'd like, add some black pepper here as well. Scoop one tablespoon of the tuna mixture for one onigiri. (Your scoop size may differ depending on the size of your onigiri and preferences.) 

❷ Wet your hands with water so the rice does not stick to them. (don't dry them; rather just shake them out a little. Also you can use plastic wrap if you prefer to keep your hands dry.) Then, lightly rub some salt onto your palms.

❸ Grab some rice and spread it out to fill the size of your hand. Then, put your filling onto the center of your spread rice in your hand.

❹ Now, shape your rice into a triangular ball. If it is difficult, you can just make a circular ball. Take care not to press or squeeze the rice too tightly.

❺ Finally, wrap your rice ball in seaweed. You can do this in a variety of ways. For instance, you can use a single strip, or wrap it completely. It is up to you. 

Now, make onigiri with your favorite stuffing and enjoy your meal or snack time!