[Making Onigiri]

The aroma of seaweed and the subtle saltiness of the rice stimulate the appetite. Why are onigiri (rice balls) so delicious?

I love both the dense onigiri made by firmly squeezing the rice in my hands and the fluffy onigiri made using an onigiri mold. Recently, I heard about a type of onigiri called “no-knead onigiri,” also known as “fluffy onigiri,” where you simply fold the rice into a triangle using nori. Since it seemed similar to just wrapping rice in a bowl with nori, I decided to try making “almost no-knead onigiri.”

Once the rice is cooked, fluff it and let the steam escape quickly. Freshly cooked rice is too hot to handle with your hands, and it can be a bit tricky when you’re in a hurry. So, I sprinkle a little salt of my choice into the Meibokuwan, lightly scoop the rice, and shake the bowl to form it into a round shape. The wooden bowl is made of thick wood, so the heat doesn't transfer to your hands, making it safe to use even with hot rice. After shaking a few times, the heat dissipates, and the rice holds together nicely while staying fluffy inside. The surface becomes smooth and even, and the texture crumbles gently, resembling a professional-made onigiri.

Place the formed rice onto a half-cut sheet of nori and wrap it in your preferred style. Place the rice at the one-third mark of the nori, fold it gently, and apply pressure at the end to shape it. This creates a beautiful, kimono-like appearance. This completes the “almost no-knead onigiri.” Shaking the bowl and rolling the rice brought back vivid memories of my childhood, when I was given “korokoro rice” made specially for me, which sparked my appetite.

For enjoying freshly cooked rice immediately, use the “almost no-knead onigiri.” For bento boxes where the shape stays intact even when cooled, or for frozen onigiri that remain fluffy and delicious when reheated, use Yamaichi's Triangular Onigiri Mold. Adjusting the preparation method to suit the occasion can make onigiri-making even more enjoyable.

Ichiyougama's Deep Plate
https://www.shokunin.com/en/ichiyou/deep.html
Sonobe Sangyo's Meibokuwan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/sonobe/wan.html
Yamaichi's Triangular Onigiri Mold
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamaichi/onigiri.html
Tansougama's Slipware Mamezara
https://www.shokunin.com/en/tansou/slipware.html