Spicy Tuna Yaki Onigiri
Spicy Tuna Yaki Onigiri (Japanese rice balls) is one of my favourite things to make when I want something fun and tasty. Of course, it’s levelled up with our Chilli Oil 🌶️
Instead of grilling them, we pan-fried them until they turned golden, crispy, and beautifully caramelised with a soy and sugar glaze. It’s a simple twist - our version of a classic Japanese snack that always hits the spot.
You can also switch up the filling if you’d like, for example using sashimi-grade salmon or fresh tuna.
INGREDIENTS
(Pieces will vary depending on size)
- 1½ cups Japanese short-grain rice (sushi rice) – about 2 rice cooker cups
- 440ml cold water
- Furikake seasoning (Japanese rice seasoning – can be found at @kibsons and @1004gourmet)
- 1 can Spinneysfood tuna, drained
- ½ ripe avocado
- 1½ tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Curious Elephant Chinese Chilli Oil
- 1 tsp Spinneysfood rice vinegar
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 3 sheets nori, cut lengthwise
For the glaze
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
Preparation
- Wash the sushi rice thoroughly until the water runs mostly clear. Add the rice and cold water to a rice cooker and cook until done.
- Once cooked, transfer the rice to a bowl and gently mix through the rice vinegar and a little furikake seasoning. Allow it to cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, mix the drained tuna, avocado, Kewpie mayonnaise, Curious Elephant Chinese Chilli Oil, and spring onion until well combined.
- Lightly oil your mould tray or hands to prevent sticking. Add a layer of rice, followed by the tuna filling, then top with another layer of rice.
- Press down firmly to ensure the rice is compact and holds its shape well.
- Remove the rice balls from the mould and brush both sides with the soy sauce and sugar glaze.
- Heat a pan with a little oil and pan-fry the onigiri on both sides until golden brown, crispy, and nicely caramelised.
- Wrap with a strip of nori and serve warm.
Enjoy these crispy, spicy rice balls -they’re seriously addictive!