Japanese
Onigiri
Hand-shaped short-grain rice with salted salmon and crisp nori, formed gently for a clean, tender bite.
4 servings · 20 minutes prep · 25 minutes cook
Ingredients
Rice
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 quarts cold water, for rinsing
- 2 cups cold water
Salmon Filling
- 6 oz salmon fillet
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Assembly
- 1 tsp kosher salt, for shaping
- 4 full sheets toasted nori, cut crosswise into thirds
Directions
Season the Salmon and Cook the Rice
- Sprinkle the salmon fillet evenly with the kosher salt and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the Japanese short-grain rice in several changes of the water until the water runs nearly clear. Drain for 10 minutes, combine with the water, and soak for 30 minutes.
- Cook the rice in a rice cooker until tender, then rest covered for 10 minutes.
Cook the Salmon
- Broil the salmon on a sheet pan until cooked through and slightly dry at the edges, 10-12 minutes. Flake finely and discard the skin and bones.
Fill, Shape, and Wrap
- While the rice is still warm, wet your hands, rub them lightly with a pinch of the kosher salt, and spread about 1/2 cup rice in one palm.
- Place about 1 tbsp flaked salmon in the center, cover with rice, and shape gently into a triangle or oval without compacting the grains.
- Wrap with the toasted nori just before serving. Repeat with the remaining rice and filling to make 12 onigiri.
