Onigiri (Rice Balls)

And the prize for the cutest snack goes to…

Seriously, how cute do these ONIGIRI look? And the best part is that they are so yummy too!

This is a snack/ lunchbox filler kids will really enjoy making, as layering the rice and fillings of choice in the mould, then pushing them out to reveal layers and decorating the final ONIGIRI, makes for a super fun and rewarding cooking activity (AND delicious snack!).

All you need, is some cooked sushi rice (any type is fine) and something for the filling, based on what you’ve got available in the fridge or pantry.

Use your creativity and any leftovers/ or other foods of choice –

Our two choices today are Smoked Salmon & Avocado and Teriyaki Chicken & Cucumber.

The chicken was leftover from last night’s stir-fry, which I roughly shredded and mixed with a little Japanese Mayo. I’ve also added a squeeze of lemon juice to the mashed avocado, to prevent it going brown.

To make the ONIGIRI even cuter and more fun, I toasted a couple of teaspoons of sesame seeds in a dry pan (over medium heat for a few minutes until they started to colour) to sprinkle over and decorate the tops. You could also mix the sesame seeds with the sushi rice and/ or use black sesame seeds or seaweed flakes to decorate topping instead.

ZERO-WASTE TIP:

Keeping a bag of sushi rice in the cupboard means you can always make these and at the same time use up any veggie, meat and/ or fish leftovers, turning them into a great zero-waste snack also :)

Onigiri

Makes 4 - 6 depending on size of mould

Ingredients:

1 cup sushi rice, cooked and prepared as per packet instructions
Your chosen selection of fillings (e.g. shredded meat or fish, mashed avocado, diced cucumber or capsicums, Japanese mayo, etc)
Your chosen topping (e.g. toasted black or white sesame seeds, seaweed flakes, etc) - optional
Soy sauce or other dipping sauce, to serve - optional
You’ll also need: Onigiri moulds*
*For moulds like the ones in the photos, check places such as Daiso or Japan Mart.

Method:

1.Start by preparing all your ingredients and having them ready to go.

2. Lightly grease moulds with cooking oil to prevent rice sticking.

3. Add the bottom layer of sushi rice, using a teaspoon to press it down and make it level.

4. Add your filling of choice, again using the teaspoon to spread it and cover the rice all the way to the sides of the mould.

5. Cover filling with a top layer of sushi rice, pressing to flatten. Cover moulds.(At this point Onigiri could be refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight (if preparing for lunchboxes, for example).