Tuna onigiri: A playful twist on traditional school lunches
My sister encouraged me to prepare onigiri for my child to take to school, as she is reducing her consumption of white bread. I was hesitant – unlike my son, who quickly became fond of them. That very evening, we started assembling rice triangles.
I did not include nori sheets or sesame seeds in my onigiri recipe because of allergies and my child's preferences. These additions significantly enhance the snack's flavour. The recipe features a tuna filling, but you can experiment with different fillings, such as avocado or roasted chicken.
What fillings for onigiri are most popular in Japan?
The taste of onigiri varies depending on the region of Japan. In every store, you can find triangles with tuna paste, often seasoned with wasabi or soy sauce. Another popular addition is umeboshi, pickled ume fruits which taste similar to the apricots or plums we are familiar with.
Japanese onigiri can also include grilled or roasted salmon, kombu seaweed, or bonito tuna flakes soaked in soy sauce. There are also hard-boiled eggs, shrimp, and roasted or pickled vegetables. Rice sandwiches are usually coated in furikake, a salty sprinkle of seaweed, dried fish, and sesame.
Recipe for tuna onigiri
These stuffed triangles also work as party snacks – they are perfect for dipping in sauces like sriracha mayo. If you're in the mood for a crunchier version, pan-fry the onigiri in heated oil.
Ingredients:
- About 400g of sushi rice,
- 1.5 tablespoons of rice vinegar,
- About 200g of canned tuna,
- Half a red onion,
- Half a red bell pepper,
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise,
- 2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce,
- Salt and pepper to taste,
- Optional 4 nori sheets.
Instructions:
- Cook the rice according to the instructions on the package. After cooking, allow it to cool and mix with rice vinegar.
- In a bowl, place the drained tuna, add finely chopped onion and red bell pepper. Mix with mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, salt, and pepper.
- On a piece of plastic wrap, place two tablespoons of rice and shape it into a triangle. Put a large spoonful of filling in the centre and cover with rice.
- Using the wrap, press the onigiri so that the rice completely covers the filling.
- If you wish to add nori, cut the sheets into strips about 5cm wide. Soak in a bowl of water and attach to the rice triangles.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
The onigiri is ready to eat immediately but will become more solid if it stays in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
