Yaki Onigiri (Japanese Grilled Rice Balls)

Ingredients

• 350 g Cooked Japanese short-grain rice (Weight after cooking; sushi rice is suitable.)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce (For mixing with the rice.)
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil (For grilling.)
• 2 tbsp White wine (Use a dry, low-acidity wine; avoid fruity wine. Boil to burn off alcohol.)
• 0.5 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce (For the sauce.)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring the white wine to a boil in a pan to burn off the alcohol.

2. 2

   Combine the boiled wine with the sugar and the sauce soy sauce in a bowl.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, mix the cooked rice with the rice soy sauce until the soy sauce is evenly distributed.

4. 4

   Divide the rice mixture into three portions and shape each portion into a rice ball.

5. 5

   Heat the sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Grill the rice balls on both sides.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to low. Brush sauce onto one side of each rice ball, then flip it.

7. 7

   Brush sauce onto the now-upper side and flip the rice ball again.

8. 8

   Repeat the sauce-brushing and flipping sequence from steps 6 and 7 once more, until the rice balls are lightly charred.

Notes

Traditional option: substitute mirin for the white wine and omit the sugar. Use Japanese short-grain rice (often labeled sushi rice) for the best texture. The source does not specify how long to boil the wine or grill the rice balls.

Nutrition per serving

• Japanese
• main
• vegetarian
• gluten-containing
• pan-grilled
• savory
• rice