Easy Japanese Tuna Mayo Onigiri (with Spicy Option)
Bring memories of 7-Eleven home! This tuna mayo onigiri has a perfect tuna-mayo balance, with dashi and sugar adding rich flavor to this simple rice ball.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice 240ml, note 1
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water 266ml
- 1 teaspoon dashi powder note 2
- kosher salt
For the Tuna Mayo
- 2.5 ounces canned tuna drained, about half of a small American canned tuna
- 2.5-3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
- ¾ teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse 1 cup uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice about three times until the water is clear.
- Cook the rice- Using a Rice Cooker or Slow Cooker: Transfer rinsed rice and add 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water to the cooker. Soak for at least 30 minutes, then start the cooker and let it finish as per settings.- Using a Pot on the Stovetop: Transfer rinsed rice and add 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water to the pot. Soak for at least 30 minutes. Cover and heat on medium until it boils, then reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. (Avoid lifting the lid while cooking.)
- Fluff the rice to release extra steam.
- Make tuna mayo: Drain and press 2.5 ounces canned tuna well to remove as much water from the tuna as possible. Add 2.5-3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, ¾ teaspoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon granulated sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper and mix well. The tuna mayo should look creamy.
- Mix dashi and rice: Add 1 teaspoon dashi powder to the cooked rice and mix well.
- Shape the onigiri (note 3): You can choose to shape the onigiri using your hands or plastic wrap. If using hands, wet your hands and sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt. If using plastic wrap, sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt on the wrap. Divide the rice and tuna mayo into individual servings. For each onigiri, place ⅔ of the rice in your palm or plastic wrap, top with tuna mayo, then cover with the remaining rice. Shape into triangles by pressing and turning.
- Enjoy: Wrap with nori seaweed if desired.
Notes
(1) Using leftover rice: If you already have cooked rice, you’ll need about 3 cups (455g) for four onigiri. Simply microwave the rice to warm it up. However, I recommend using freshly cooked rice for the best results.
(2) Dashi powder: Use high-quality dashi powder for better flavor. My favorite is Kayanoya Dashi.
(3-1) Shaping onigiri: Be careful not to shape onigiri too hard to keep each rice piece's shape. It should be firm enough to hold the triangle shape but soft enough to collapse in your mouth when eaten. This is why I don’t recommend using onigiri molds that require pressing. For more tips on how to shape onigiri, please read the How to Make an Onigiri Triangle? section.
(3-2) Onigiri mold: If you want to use an onigiri mold, I recommend choosing one that doesn’t require pressing the rice too hard, which can make the onigiri dense. Instead, opt for a mold that allows you to shape the onigiri gently using a rice paddle without applying too much pressure. Something like the TIKUSAN Onigiri Mold Musubi Maker could be a good option.
🥢Serve this with miso soup to make an onigiri teishoku (meal)!
🍙More onigiri recipes: Okinawan-style Spam Musubi with Egg
💡If you can't find specific ingredients, check out how to substitute Japanese ingredients in this post.