Description
Classic Japanese rice balls made with tender short grain rice, savory salmon filling, and wrapped with crisp nori. Simple, comforting, and perfect for lunchboxes or light meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups Japanese short grain rice, uncooked
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cooked salmon, flaked
- 4 nori sheets, cut into strips
Instructions
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Cook rice with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker or pot according to package instructions.
- Let cooked rice steam for 10 minutes with the lid on, then gently fluff with a rice paddle.
- In a small bowl, mix salt with a few tablespoons of water.
- Lightly wet your hands with the salted water to prevent sticking.
- Place about 1/2 cup of warm rice in your palm and create a small indentation in the center.
- Add about 1 tablespoon of flaked salmon into the indentation.
- Cover filling with a small amount of rice and gently shape into a triangle, pressing lightly to hold together.
- Repeat with remaining rice and filling.
- Wrap a strip of nori around the base of each rice ball just before serving.
Notes
- Use short grain Japanese rice for proper stickiness.
- Handle rice while warm for easier shaping.
- Wrap nori just before serving to maintain its crisp texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rice ball
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: onigiri, japanese rice balls, salmon rice balls, homemade onigiri, japanese lunch recipe