Yaki Onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are Japanese rice balls that are grilled until crispy on the outside. Japanese short-grain rice are seasoned with soy sauce and formed into triangle shape by hand. The same sauce is then brushed on the surface during Onigiri are grilled.
Yaki Onigiri can also be made on a frying pan on the stove like we did in this Pan-Fried Yaki Onigiri recipe, but they taste the best when Onigiri are browned on the grill. In this recipe, we use a typical outdoor gas barbecue grill, but you can also use a charcoal grill. In fact, Yaki Onigiri is one of everyone’s favorite outdoor foods in Japan, and it’s a great side dish to serve with grilled meat and vegetables. Try a bunch of Yaki Onigiri next time you BBQ!
Grilled Yaki Onigiri
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Equipment
- Barbecue Grill
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Steamed Rice
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin
- oil for the grill
Instructions
- Mix soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl to make the sauce.
- In a medium bowl, mix steamed rice and 2 tbsp of the sauce mixture. (save 2 tbsp for later)
- Divide the rice to 8. Wet hands with water and place 1/8 rice in one hand, and press and form into a triangle shape onigiri. Repeat and make 8.
- Heat the grill at medium high heat and oil the surface of the grill. Place the onigiri rice balls on the grill. Cook one side for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Flip onigiri, and brush the sauce on the browned surface. After 2 to 3 minutes, flip and brush the sauce on the other side. Remove from the grill when both sides are browned.
Video
