Onigiri | Articles on Japanese Restaurants | Japan Restaurant Guide by Gourmet Navigator
Onigiri Summary
A soul food of Japan that represents the food culture of the Japanese. There are regions that call it "omusubi". Cooked rice is held in the hand, and made by molding and rolling it in the hands. Plums, an "okaka" dried bonito flavored with soy sauce and sugar, konbu tsukidani, and tarako are all popular ingredients. Though it differs depending on the region, there is no special rule, and anything can be stuffed in it and eaten.
Wasyoku(Japanese Cuisine) encyclopedia : Onigiri
One without ingredients stuffed inside, with only salt as the seasoning is called a "shonigiri". It has nori wrapped around it so it can be easily eaten with the hand. Since it can be made and stored with a great natural preservability, it is often eaten in bento or when outside. In the home it is eaten at lunch and dinner as a light meal. The shape differs depending on the household, and the person making it, but generally, it is round or triangular, with some having a cylinder shape. The direct origin of the food is said to be 頓食(tonjiki) from the Heian period. the onigiri in this period was an oval shape, used around 225 grams of glutinous rice, and was large. Non-glutinous rice began to be used in the late Kamakura period. Although nori commonly used in onigiri today, it wasn't until the edo period that the square nori spread to the masses. As it is nutritious, and helps from having the rice stick to the fingers, it has become vital to onigiri.
Today, various types of onigiri are sold in supermarkets and convenience stores, and there are convenience store chains that are making an effort to developing fresh onigiri. There are sets of onigiri with popular ingredients, sold in bento with a side dish, and even fancy onigri with special ingredients and nori. It is wrapped so the nori does not touch the rice, and there are wrappings that help put it together while unwrapping in 3 steps. It is designed to keep the curnchy texture of the freshly wrapped nori. An onigiri with moist nori which is wrapped beforehand is also popular, and depends on the persons preference. To make it delicious in the household, do not crush the rice, and let the air an as it is mold solftly.
