Learn how to make a popular Japanese rice ball, Okaka onigiri! It's flavorful, tasty, and perfect for quick lunch or a portable snack!
Okaka Onigiri is a delicious and filling Japanese rice ball.
Make an okaka filling by combining katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) with soy sauce. Then stuff it in a ball of Japanese rice, shape it into a triangle and wrap it using nori seaweed!
How to make it is simple, but the flavor is amazing! I hope you will enjoy it!
- This recipe is for you if:
- You love onigiri (Japanese rice balls).
- You want to make okaka onigiri.
- You are looking for onigiri recipes.
- You want to know more onigiri variations.
If you're new to Onigiri, don't worry! I'll give straightforward steps for making this tasty treat.
Let me walk you through the ingredients and the instructions. If you want to check the recipe, jump to the recipe. Let's get started!
Jump to:
About this recipe
- How to Make Okaka Onigiri
- Include Popular Onigiri Fillings
- Japanese Ingredients Explained
- How to Wrap Onigiri in Nori Seaweed
What is Okaka Onigiri
Okaka is katsuobushi (bonito flakes) or a mixture of katsuobushi and soy sauce for onigiri and furikake (Japanese rice seasoning).
Okaka Onigiri (rice balls) is traditional Japanese food stuffed with okaka in rice wrapped in nori seaweed.
It's one of the most popular onigiri fillings. With its savory umami taste, you can enjoy every bite of this classic dish!
Popular onigiri fillings in Japan
What are the most popular onigiri fillings?
Japan's favorite Onigiri fillings are tuna, salmon, and umeboshi. Tarako, okaka (bonito flakes), and kombu seaweed are other top choices!
In case you are wondering what other fillings to put in Onigiri? This post, 14 Best Onigiri Fillings, will give you all the answers!
📋 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients (amounts are in the recipe card below).
- Cooked rice (short-grain rice)
- Nori seaweed
- Salt
- Katsuobushi
- Soy sauce
Let's go over each ingredient in the following section.
Japanese short-grain rice (Sushi rice)
What kind of rice should I use for Onigiri? The answer is Japanese short-grain rice!
Japanese short-grain or sticky rice is the best for making rice balls. It can hold the shape of a triangle onigiri as it's its stickiness.
Long-grain rice like Jasmine and Basmati would fall apart as they don't have the right stickiness to hold the rice together, so I recommend using Koshihikari or sushi rice.
If you are unsure how to cook Japanese rice, check here; how to cook Japanese rice on the stove, where I teach the simple method.
Nori seaweed
Nori is a type of seaweed that's dried, crispy, and sold in sheets like the picture above.
Get this full-size nori sheet (8.3" x 7.5" or 21 x 19 cm) at a grocery store. This size is too large for Onigiri (perfect for a sushi roll, though), so we will divide it into 3.
Katsuobushi
Katsuobushi (or bonito flakes) is made from bonito fish. The photo on the left shows Smoked bonito (katuobushi block) made by boiling and smoking raw bonito.
The photo on the right shows katsuobushi (Officially called kezuribushi) that has been shaved the smoked bonito very thinly, and we use these bonito flakes for everyday cooking.
It's an essential ingredient for Japanese dashi (soup stock) as it has an intense umami flavor. We also use it for garnishing, toppings, and seasonings as well.
You can find more info about Katsuobushi here: Ninben, what's Katsuobushi
🔪Instructions
Now, let's move on to the instructions. I will show you how to make Okaka Onigiri step by step. You can also watch this recipe video.
- Cut the Nori sheet into three equal pieces.
- Put aside salt, a bowl of water, cooked rice, and a nori sheet.
- Put katsuobushi in a bowl and combine it with soy sauce to make the filling.
- Put rice in a small bowl and okaka in the center of the rice.
- Wet your hands, put salt on your palm, and form a triangular shape.
- Form like this by pressing gently with both your palms.
- Wrap it with a nori sheet.
Here you go!
Eat right away if you like crispy nori seaweed. Or wait a few minutes for the softer texture, like the picture!
Let's take a peek inside!
How to wrap onigiri in nori
In this section, we will look at two ways to wrap triangular Onigiri in a nori sheet.
1. Standard way
The first one is the most standard way to wrap nori.
Instructions:
- Place the triangular-shaped rice in the center of the nori sheet.
- Fold the nori sheet to the other side.
That's it! A quick and easy method.
2. Advanced way
The second method is a little more advanced compared to the first one.
Instructions:
- Place the triangular-shaped rice in the center of the nori.
- Fold the nori on both sides diagonally.
- Fold the lower part of the nori toward the bottom of the rice.
With this technique, the rice is wrapped from both sides, so you don't have to worry about the rice falling apart when eating.
I recommend placing the okaka filling on top of an Onigiri, like in the picture above. It's not only easy for you to see what's inside, but it also looks so cute!
Which nori size do you like?
This onigiri recipe uses ⅓ size nori seaweed, but you can try it in different sizes. Here are four different nori sizes that will work for making Onigiri.
Nori seaweed size for Onigiri:
- Half-size
- ⅓ size
- ⅕ size
- ⅙ size
The most common size is ⅓; I usually go with this too.
Japanese convenience stores sell rice balls using half-size nori sheets. Rice is fully covered, and you can taste the flavor of nori.
Which one do you want to try? Let me know in the comment section below!
Variations
Here is another way to enjoy Okaka Onigiri. You can mix okaka in the rice instead of filling it.
If you like easy onigiri recipes, you can find more here: 17 Easy Onigiri Recipes (Rice Balls) Without Nori Seaweed.
What to serve with
Onigiri pairs well with anything, such as grilled fish, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet), stir-fried vegetables, and simmered dishes.
Here is a sample light lunch menu for you!
- Okaka onigiri
- Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet)
- Tofu hambagu
- Daikon salad with sesame dressing
- Miso soup
Storage
If you don't eat Onigiri immediately, please wrap each one with plastic before they dry.
You can store them for a couple of days in the fridge and one month in the freezer (When freezing, do not wrap the nori sheet).
When you eat frozen Onigiri, use a microwave to warm it (Do not thaw it at room temperature as it will dry).
Thanks For Stopping By
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡ If you've tried this recipe(or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More Onigiri Recipes You Might Like
- 14 best Onigiri filling ideas
- 17 Easy Onigiri Recipes Without Nori Seaweed
- How to make onigiri step by step
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- Ume onigiri
📖 Recipe
Okaka Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 14 oz Cooked Japanese short-grain rice, 4 small bowls of rice, 400g
- 2 Nori sheets
- 6 tablespoon Katsuobushi, 10g
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Nori sheet: Cut it into 3 equal pieces.
- Prepare okaka: Put katsuobushi in a bowl and combine with soy sauce.
- Collect ingredients: Put aside salt, a bowl of water, cooked rice, nori sheets, and the okaka.
- Add okaka: Put rice in a small bowl, make a small dent in the center, then add 1 or 2 teaspoons of okaka.
- Water and salt on your hands: Wet both hands with water, put some salt (2 fingertips of salt) on your palm and rub between your hands.
- Shape rice: Place the rice on your hand, hold with both hands, form a triangle shape (or round shape) by pressing gently with your both palms and fingers while rolling it several times.
- Wrap: Wrap it with nori sheet.
Video
Notes
- Equipment: Small bowl (This oxo tot small bowl is perfect for small onigiri)
- Storage: Wrap each one with plastic wrap, put it in a container, and keep them in the fridge for a couple of days and one month in the freezer.
- Japanese short-grain rice (starchy and sticky) is ideal for making onigiri. If you are new to rice, see "How to cook Japanese rice on the stove."
- The filling amount is up to you, so feel free to tweak it for your preference.
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