Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri are a fun little appetizer made with pan fried sushi rice mixed with a few fresh herbs and served with a ponzu dipping sauce.
You are going to love Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri because…
They are an inexpensive appetizer
Great way to use up leftover rice
Addition ideas are endless
The crispy end bits of the rice are completely addictive
Whip together in less than 30 minutes
The Sky is the Limit with Additions
We kept our Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri vegan with just the addition of some fresh herbs and five spiced powder. However, the additions to the mix are really endless. The only strict parameter is that the additions must be dry so that these little onigiri fry up well and get crispy. You can add sesame seeds, Japanese rice sprinkles, chili flakes, cumin, cooked adzuki beans, etc.
How to get your rice super crispy
If you want to get your rice cripsy, make sure that all of your additions to the rice are dry. In addition, in you dip your rice balls in a little panko bread crumbs or sesame seeds before frying, they get really crispy and delicious. We kept our Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri gluten-free by using gluten free bread crumbs and exchanging soy sauce in the panzu dip for tamari sauce.
Dealing with THE Hungry Crew!
My teenage boys are always hungry! I swear they each have a hallow leg as I have no idea where they put all that food. They are both are skinny as rails. I was sharing a story with my friends the other day on how teenage boys can really pack away the groceries. I think you will find this story either amusing or distressing.
One day a few years ago, I had placed a large beef roast, about 6 potatoes, and lots of carrots in a crock pot to simmer all day while I was at work so that we could have a nice dinner upon our return. My eldest had returned home early from football practice and was home alone for a period of time while I was still at a function with my youngest son. I walked in the door and checked in on the roast in the crock pot but it was all gone except for a small little wedge of meat left in the pot. I asked my eldest son, “What happened to the family beef roast?”. He responded, “I had a little snack”. A little snack, I retorted, you just ate the family roast!!! Ayyyyehhhh! Boys! Teenagers!!!!!
Needless to say I was browsing through an Australian Master Chef magazine and an advertisement caught my eye – “Obento Japanese Meals in Minutes”. I was trying to think of something else to go with my other Asian Small bites recipes that would really help fill up my hungry growing teenage boys. Bingo, a stick to your ribs type of rice dish!
I had both rice and dried Nori available in my kitchen but a plain onigiri sounded so boring. Then a brilliant idea came to mind, what if I added a few yummy ingredients to the rice, fry them up and then let my boys wrap them up in the dried Nori….! Yum! Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri was a big hit.
If you liked this Japanese recipe, be sure to try our…
Tuna Mayo Rice Balls (Onigiri)
How to Cook Shishito Peppers on the Grill
Soba Noodle Salad with Yuzu Dressing
or check out our Japanese Recipe Cuisine Category for more inspiration.
Japanese Crispy Rice Onigiri
Ingredients
- 2 cups 2 cups cooked rice
(sushi rice is best but also brown or basmati can be used if you add an egg to make it sticky) - dish of water to keep your hands from sticking to rice
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 1/2 tsp Five Spice Powder
- 1/4 cup green onions
chopped - salt
to taste - 1/4 tsp white pepper
or to taste - 2 tbsp sesame seeds
toasted white or black - optional - 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
(optional can use rice flour for gluten free) - 2 tbsp 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 sheets Dried Nori (seaweed laver)
1 inch by 5 inch strips (optional)
Panzu Dipping Sauce: (Optional)
- 4 tsp soy sauce
(tamari sauce for gluten free) - 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine, cooked short grain rice, flour, five spice powder, chopped green onions, salt, white pepper.
- Dip your hands in water to prevent the rice from sticking to hands and take about 1/4 cup of the rice mixture and form into a flat round patty. (If it is easier for you, you can put the contents into a piece of saran wrap to shape to keep your hands from sticking)
- If you choose you can either dip the rice patties into black sesame seeds or panko bread crumbs before frying.
- Place oil into pan and fry each rice patty for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Remove fried rice patty from pan and wrap with Nori and serve with dipping sauce. Fried Rice Patties are also delicious just plain or served instead of bread slices for a sandwich.
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