What ingredients are these rice balls made of?

This project is linked to the cookbook “WE LOVE ONIGIRI” on Amazon by PY Kobo Books.

ONIGIRI means rice balls in Japanese.

We will explain the rice ball ingredients on page 58 of the book.

(1) Doubutsu onigiri

Cute rice balls (onigiri) look like animals (doubutsu).

Panda-san onigiri

A cute panda-san rice ball (onigiri) that is about to eat watermelon (suika).

Rice ball ingredients

• BODY : cooked rice + salt
• EARS, EYES, NOSE, MOUTH, ARMS and LEGS : dried seaweed
• CHEEKS : pickled plum
• WATERMELON : cucumber + crab stick + black sesame

Kuma-san onigiri

A rice ball of a happy bear who is with his favorite fish.

Rice ball ingredients

• BODY, EARS, ARMS and LEGS : cooked rice + dried bonito + soy sauce
• EYES : dried seaweed
• NOSE and MOUTH : cheese + dried seaweed
• CHEEKS : boiled carrots
• FISH : grilled sausage + seaweed (fish eye)+ cheese (fish eye)

(2) Temari onigiri

Temari is a traditional lovely balls in Japan.

Cucumber and radish onigiri

A temari-shaped rice ball with a beautiful contrast of green and purple.

Rice ball ingredients

• BODY : cooked rice + salt
• WRAPPING PART : pickled cucumber + radish + daikon radish pickled in food coloring
• TOPPING : boiled corn

Canola flower and pickled plum onigiri

A temari-shaped rice ball with the slight bitterness of canola flowers and the sweetness and sourness of pickled plums.

Rice ball ingredients

• BODY : cooked rice + salt + sesame + pickled plums
• TOPPING : canola flowers

(3) Tenmusu onigiri

Rice balls with tempura fillings such as a shrimp tempura.

Shrimp tempura onigiri (Ebi Tenmusu)

A rice ball with plump shrimp tempura wrapped in rice.

Rice ball ingredients

• HEAD : shrimp tempura + salty-sweet soy sauce-based sauce called tentsuyu
• BODY : cooked rice + salt + dried seaweed
• EYES and MOUTH : dried seaweed
• ACCESSORY : boiled okra

Maitake tempura onigiri (Maitake Tenmusu)

A rice ball with maitake mushroom tempura wrapped in rice.

Rice ball ingredients

• HEAD : maitake tempura + salty-sweet soy sauce-based sauce called tentsuyu
• BODY : cooked rice + salt + dried seaweed
• EYES and MOUTH : dried seaweed
• ACCESSORY : red pickled ginger

(4) Seasonal onigiri

Recommended rice balls for the seasonal events.

Meat-wrapped mummy onigiri

A juicy (?) mummy with a meat-wrapped rice ball wrapped in cheese bandages.

Rice ball ingredients

• BODY : stir-fried rice with vegetables + beef or pork or soy meat
• EYES : cheese + dried seaweed
• BANDAGES : cheese

Witch bear onigiri

A rice ball of a cute witch bear holding a pumpkin king.

Rice ball ingredients

• BODY, EARS and ARMS : cooked rice + salt
• BODY INSIDE : grilled eggplant
• EYES and NOSE : dried seaweed
• CHEEKS : pickled plum
• MAGICAL HAT and PUMPKIN KING : boiled carrot + dried seaweed

Feel free to ask any questions about the book “WE LOVE ONIGIRI.”