Okaka Onigiri are very special rice balls from Japan! These hearty rice portions are seasoned in no time at all with bonito flakes, tsuyu and crispy roasted sesame seeds. A coating of Nori seaweed sheets completes the dish. The recipe is so super simple that I simply can’t keep it from you – and what’s more, it’s ready in a jiffy!
The star of this recipe is fine, carefully selected bonito flakes. In Japan, these are also known as Katsuobushi. When these wafer-thin shavings of fish are mixed with soy sauce or tsuyu, they become the very popular seasoning known as okaka.
In Japan, okaka is primarily associated with various rice dishes. The simple combination of dried bonito flakes and Japanese soy sauce creates a light, slightly salty flavour – which goes perfectly with freshly cooked rice!
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Basically, Onigiri are small triangles made from cooked Japanese rice. The rice is salted or seasoned and shaped by hand or with an onigiri mould into triangles, balls or (as I’m showing today) into cylindrical rolls.
There are countless types of Onigiri and ways to prepare them. After all, it is one of the simplest, yet most popular Japanese dishes, enjoyed by everyone from young children to adults.
Japanese rice balls are the perfect snack for a quick bite on the go or can be combined with Miso soup and other dishes to make a filling meal.
In today’s Onigiri recipe, we’ve opted to add roasted sesame seeds alongside the okaka seasoning. The nutty flavour of the sesame works really well and is sure to delight you:
Okaka Onigiri
Makes 6 | 30 minutes | 198 kcal
🖨️ Print PDF 📌 Save pinOkaka Onigiri are very special rice balls from Japan! These hearty rice balls are seasoned in no time at all with bonito flakes, tsuyu and crispy sesame seeds. A coating of Nori seaweed sheets completes the dish. The recipe is so incredibly simple that I simply can’t keep it from you – and what’s more, it’s ready in a flash!
Ingredients (for 6 pieces)
600 g cooked rice (see recipe):
✔ 300 g loose rice (im Shop ansehen)*
✔ 300 ml water (fresh, cold tap water)
✔ 1 pinch salt
15 g Katsuobushi bonito flakes (im Shop ansehen)*
3 tbsp Tsuyu (im Shop ansehen)*
1 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted (im Shop ansehen)*
1 piece Nori sheets (im Shop ansehen)*
Preparation (30 minutes)
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients for the Onigiri and get the rice (click here for the recipe in a rice cooker or in a saucepan + leave to cool for 20 minutes).
Step 2
Prepare the filling for the Japanese rice balls: In a bowl, mix bonito flakes, tsuyu broth and sesame seeds with a spoon. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Step 3
In the meantime, cut the nori sheet into strips about 4 cm wide using scissors.
4. Passaggio
Gently fold the bonito flake and tsuyu mixture into the cooked rice.
Step 5
Fill a small bowl with lightly salted water and have it ready. Wet your hands thoroughly in it to shape the rice balls (as if you were about to wash your hands).
Take about 100 g of the seasoned rice and, using pressure, shape it between your wet palms into rolls with flat ends. It is best to shape the round part with one hand and press the sides firmly with the other. Form 6 thick rice rolls.
Step 6
Now wrap the rice rolls in Nori.
Step 7
Once the Onigiri is ready, it should be eaten as soon as possible. Onigiri are best when fresh, as the rice quickly dries out after a while and the nori sheet becomes slightly soggy. Done – Itadakimasu!
Are you looking for even more delicious Onigiri recipe ideas from Japan? Here you’ll find my most popular guides:
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Have you tried the recipe? Let me know in the comments, I can’t wait to hear from you!
