Épice

Sesame onigiri

Our version of onigiri: hand-shaped Japanese rice, toasted Madagascar sesame seeds, a simple filling. Allergen: contains sesame.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cooking 15 min
  • Total 35 min
  • Difficulty Easy

Onigiri is a Japanese rice ball or triangle, shaped by hand and easy to carry: an old snack, said by some sources to date back to the Nara period, long before the everyday use of chopsticks. Here is our version, where Madagascar sesame seeds, which our family grows and prepares in Vangaindrano, in south-eastern Madagascar, are mixed into the rice and coat the outside of each piece.

The rice is cooked, then left to rest, and shaped by hand around a small filling, before being rolled in toasted sesame seeds.

Method

Preparation

  1. Rinse the rice in clean water until it runs more or less clear. Drain it.
  2. Put the rice and water in a saucepan, cover and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, covered, without lifting the lid.
  3. Leave the saucepan to stand for 10 minutes off the heat, still covered.
  4. Meanwhile, dry-toast the sesame seeds in a pan, over low heat, stirring, for a few minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Leave them to cool slightly.
  5. Transfer the hot rice to a large bowl, add a pinch of salt and half the toasted sesame seeds. Mix gently with a spatula, without crushing the grains.
  6. Dampen your hands and rub them with a little salt. Take a portion of rice in your palm, make a hollow in the centre with your finger, add a little filling, then close the rice back over it.
  7. Shape into a triangle or a ball, pressing firmly but without packing it too tightly, so the onigiri holds together without being compact.
  8. Roll each onigiri in the remaining toasted sesame seeds, or wrap a strip of nori around the base. Serve at room temperature, on the day they are made.
Chef's tip

The little extra that changes everything

Toasting the sesame seeds just before using them makes a big difference to their aroma: do not leave them more than a few minutes over low heat and stir constantly, as they quickly go from golden to burnt. The full method is covered in toasting sesame seeds. Always dampen your hands before shaping the rice, so it does not stick to them. Our products for this recipe: Madagascar sesame seeds

Frequently asked questions

About this recipe

Can onigiri be filled with something other than salmon or salted plum?
Yes, any salty, well-drained filling works, as long as it does not make the rice soggy.
Do onigiri keep for the next day?
It is best to eat them the same day; the rice hardens and loses its softness once cold and kept in the fridge.
Does the rice need to be seasoned with vinegar as for sushi?
No, onigiri rice is eaten plain, just salted, unlike the vinegared rice used for sushi.
In the kitchen

Four moves with one bean

What to do with a whole bean, from the first cut to the sugar jar.

01 Split 30 s

Knife tip halfway through, one single pass along the whole length.

02 Scrape 1 min

Scrape both halves with a spoon. That black is the flavour.

03 Infuse 20 min

Seeds and bean into the hot milk, off the heat, covered.

Vanilla beans laid on a white plate
04 Reuse 1 week

Rinse the emptied bean, let it dry, then slip it into the sugar.

One bean serves twice
Exceptional ingredients

Our products for this recipe

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