Yaki Onigiri (filled with Tamogoyaki)

Lightly pan-fried onigiri stuffed with tamogoyaki.

Yaki Onigiri are also known as Japanese grilled rice balls. Onigiri are made from white rice, shaped into triangular or oval shapes and usually wrapped with nori sheets (seaweed). Traditional onigiri are usually filled with pickled ingredients and is normally eaten as a quick snack. I once read that onigiri were popular in Japan as early as the 11th century. They were usually eaten during outdoor picnics, or wrapped in bamboo leaves by the Samurai as food that they could eat on the go. Since then, nothing has change much, and onigiri are still very popular in Japan, available as they are with various types of stuffing and in different flavours.

I was inspired to make my own onigiri after reading so much about it on the internet and in books. They taste great and make good main meals, side dishes or snacks. To make them, I used sushi rice and added a vinegar mixture (rice wine vinegar mixed with some sugar and salt) to the rice after it has been cooked. Once the rice had cooled, they were shaped into balls and stuffed with some tamogoyaki (slightly sweetened egg omelette) before pan-frying them lightly on a pan. For some added colour and flavour, I coated some Japanese soy sauce (I prefer this as it is less salty than Chinese soy sauce) on both sides of the onigiri while pan-frying them. You could also cut some strips of nori and wrap them around the onigiri as garnish.

Serve yaki onigiri while hot and with pickled ginger slices.

Onigiri that has been mixed with soy sauce before pan fried.

There is another similar recipe as the above but this time the cooked sushi rice is thoroughly mixed with some vinegar mixture and Japanese soy sauce before pan-frying them lightly. Once the rice has cooled down a little, shape the rice quickly into balls, stuff them with the tamogoyaki and wrap some slices of the nori around the onigiri. Onigiri are best eaten with pickled ginger slices. Oishii!!!