ilyadaysRecipes

Onigiri

Niku soboro (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 The shops do not publish their recipes; these quantities are this site's own.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~8 min filling prep, plus rice and shaping
Niku soboro (Bongo) onigiri

Step by step

  1. Filling

  2. Mix the pork and seasonings in a cold pan before turning on the heat.
    Mix the pork and seasonings in a cold pan before turning on the heat.
    Stir continuously over medium heat with four chopsticks, breaking up the meat into fine crumbs.
    Stir continuously over medium heat with four chopsticks, breaking up the meat into fine crumbs.

    1Niku 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. The yolk is an optional second filling; prepare it a day ahead.
    Niku soboro
    Should look like this

  3. Shape by hand

  4. Fine soboro crumbs in a central well, surrounded by plain rice.
    Fine soboro crumbs in a central well, surrounded by plain rice.

    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.
    • For each onigiri, put about 60 g rice in your palm, make a well and add a heaped tablespoon of filling. Cover with another 60 g rice and gently close the rice around it. Save any extra filling separately.
    • 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
    • For the shop-style finish, set a little of the same filling on top so you can see what is inside. Leave the top uncovered by nori.
    • 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)