ilyadaysRecipes

Onigiri

Pepperoncino (Bongo) onigiri

A home version inspired by the shop filling named above. The shops do not publish their recipes; these quantities are this site's own. This page makes one filling, then shapes and serves it. Start with plain cooked Japanese short-grain rice: rice cooking, hand shaping and all shop fillings →. The filling preparation time below excludes cooking the rice.

4–6 onigiri~6 min filling prep, plus rice and shaping
Pepperoncino (Bongo) onigiri

Step by step

  1. Filling

  2. Start the sliced garlic and olive oil together in a cold pan.
    Start the sliced garlic and olive oil together in a cold pan.
    Warm over low heat for 4–5 minutes until the garlic is pale gold; turn off the heat before adding chilli and salt.
    Warm over low heat for 4–5 minutes until the garlic is pale gold; turn off the heat before adding chilli and salt.

    1Pepperoncino 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.
    Pepperoncino oil
    Should look like this

  3. Shape by hand

  4. Fold about 1 tsp garlic-chilli oil through each rice portion; no central pocket.
    Fold about 1 tsp garlic-chilli oil through each rice portion; no central pocket.

    2Shape them shop style

    ~2 min each

    For this step

    • Cooked rice, from the onigiri page480–720 g (120 g each)
    • Kosher salt (for your hands)a little for each onigiri
    • Have the cooked rice ready, covered, and cool it only until comfortable to hold. Wet your hands and rub a little salt over both palms.
    • Fold about 1 tsp of the prepared garlic-chilli oil, including some garlic, through each 120 g portion of warm rice. Make four to six portions. This oil batch makes more than you need; do not pour it all into the rice. There is no separate filling pocket.
    • Cup the rice from below with one hand. Bend the other hand into a roof, press gently to make a corner, turn a third of a turn and repeat. Keep it loose: press only enough to hold together.
    Shape them shop style
    Should look like this

  5. Finish

  6. Wrap and serve

    3Wrap and serve

    For this step

    • Nori strips4–6
    • Wrap one strip of nori around the base and up the sides just before serving. Eat within the hour while the nori is crisp. The sliced example shows the inside; cutting yours open is optional.

Based on: Hidden Japan Gems — Onigiri Bongo menu · MICHELIN Guide — Onigiri Asakusa Yadoroku · Asakusa Yadoroku (official) · Nigihaya, Kyoto (official, Japanese) · Togoshi-ya (official, Japanese)