Onigiri: fillings from Tokyo's onigiri shops

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

1. 

   Cured yolks4, in soyStep 1

2. 

   Soboro200 g meatStep 2

3. 

   Pork + kimchi80 g + 80 gStep 3

4. 

   Kombu + shiso50 g + 4 leavesStep 4

5. 

   Peanuts60 gStep 6

6. 

   Mentaiko + cream cheese40 g + 30 gStep 9

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

Make two or three fillings, not all of them; the times assume shiso kombu, soboro and pork kimchi.

Step by step

1. 

   1Soy-cure the egg yolks

   24 h

   For this step

   • Very fresh egg yolks4
   • Soy sauce (yolks)3 tbsp
   • Mirin (yolks)1 tbsp

   • The day before: separate the eggs and slip each yolk into a small dish, whole.
   • Pour the soy sauce and mirin over, so the yolks are just covered. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. They turn deep amber and firm up like soft jam.
   • Use eggs sold for eating raw, or pasteurised ones. Keep the cured yolks cold and use them within two days.

   

2. 

   2Niku soboro

   medium~8 min

   For this step

   • Ground pork, or pork and beef200 g
   • Soy sauce (soboro)2 tbsp
   • Sugar (soboro)1½ tbsp
   • Sake (soboro)1 tbsp
   • Mirin (soboro)1 tbsp
   • Ginger, grated1 tsp

   • Put the meat, soy, sugar, sake, mirin and ginger in a cold pan and stir them together before the heat goes on. That keeps the crumbs fine.
   • Cook over medium heat, stirring all the time with four chopsticks held together, until the liquid has gone and the meat is fine, glossy and just dry, 6–8 minutes.
   • Bongo's favourite: a spoon of soboro with one soy-cured yolk on top.

   

3. 

   3Pork kimchi

   high~5 min

   For this step

   • Pork belly, thinly sliced80 g
   • Kimchi, chopped and squeezed80 g
   • Sesame oil (pork kimchi)1 tsp

   • Cut the pork belly into 2 cm pieces. Fry it in the sesame oil over high heat until it browns, about 2 minutes.
   • Add the squeezed kimchi and fry 1 minute more, until the pan is dry. Wet kimchi soaks the rice and the onigiri falls apart. Let it cool.

   

4. 

   4Shiso kombu

   low~20 min

   For this step

   • Kombu left over from dashi50 g
   • Water (kombu)100 ml
   • Soy sauce (kombu)2 tbsp
   • Sugar (kombu)1 tbsp
   • Mirin (kombu)1 tbsp
   • Rice vinegar (kombu)1 tsp
   • Green shiso leaves4

   • Cut the soft kombu left from making dashi into thin strips, about 3 cm long.
   • Simmer with the water, soy, sugar, mirin and vinegar over low heat, stirring now and then, until the liquid is gone and the kombu is glossy, 15–20 minutes.
   • Off the heat, stir in the shiso, cut into fine strips. It keeps a week in the fridge.

   

5. 

   5Takana

   medium-high~4 min

   For this step

   • Pickled takana (mustard greens)100 g
   • Sesame oil (takana)1 tsp
   • Dried chilli, sliced½
   • Soy sauce (takana)1 tsp
   • Sesame seeds1 tsp

   • Chop the takana finely and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
   • Fry it in the sesame oil with the chilli over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, add the soy and cook until dry. Stir in the sesame seeds.

   

6. 

   6Peanut miso

   medium-low~6 min

   For this step

   • Roasted unsalted peanuts60 g
   • Miso1½ tbsp
   • Sugar (peanut miso)1½ tbsp
   • Mirin (peanut miso)1 tbsp
   • Water (peanut miso)1 tbsp

   • Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat until fragrant, 2–3 minutes.
   • Stir the miso, sugar, mirin and water together, pour it over the peanuts and stir over low heat until the miso turns glossy and clings to every nut, 2 minutes.
   • Spread on a plate to cool. It sets sticky; break it up before using.

   

7. 

   7Eggplant tsukudani

   medium~20 min

   For this step

   • Japanese eggplants2 (about 250 g)
   • Salt (eggplant)½ tsp
   • Oil (eggplant)1 tbsp
   • Soy sauce (eggplant)2 tbsp
   • Sugar (eggplant)1 tbsp
   • Sake (eggplant)1 tbsp

   • Cut the eggplants into 1 cm dice, toss with the salt and leave 10 minutes. Squeeze them hard.
   • Fry in the oil over medium heat until soft, 4 minutes. Add the soy, sugar and sake and cook, stirring, until the liquid is gone and the eggplant is dark and glossy, about 6 minutes.
   • Nigihaya mixes its eggplant all through the rice instead of hiding it in the middle. Do the same: fold it into warm rice, then shape.

   

8. 

   8Pepperoncino oil

   low~6 min

   For this step

   • Olive oil3 tbsp
   • Garlic, thinly sliced3 cloves
   • Chilli flakes½ tsp
   • Salt (pepperoncino)a pinch

   • Put the olive oil and garlic in a small cold pan and warm it over low heat until the garlic is pale gold, 4–5 minutes. Darker garlic turns bitter.
   • Off the heat, add the chilli flakes and salt. Fold the oil and garlic through the rice before shaping, about 1 tsp per onigiri.

   

9. 

   9Mentai mayo with cream cheese

   3 min

   For this step

   • Mentaiko (spicy pollock roe)1 sac (40 g)
   • Japanese mayo (Kewpie)1 tbsp
   • Cream cheese, small cubes30 g

   • Slit the mentaiko sac and scrape the roe out of its skin.
   • Stir it with the mayo, then fold in the cream cheese cubes without breaking them.

   

10. 

    

    10Shape them shop style

    ~2 min each

    For this step

    • Cooked rice, from the onigiri page1.4 kg (120 g each)
    • Nori strips12
    • Kosher salt (for your hands)a little for each onigiri

    • Shape as on the onigiri page, but bigger and looser: about 120 g of rice, packed only enough to hold.
    • Put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the well, close the rice over it, then set a little more on top, so you can see what's inside. That's how Bongo and Togoshi-ya show theirs.
    • Wrap a strip of nori around the base and up the sides, leaving the top with the filling open. Eat within the hour, while the nori is crisp.
    • Good doubles: soboro with a cured yolk, mentai mayo on takana.