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Nikumaki Onigiri (Meat wrapped rice balls)

Nikumaki Onigiri Recipe (Japanese Meat Wrapped Rice Balls)

5 from 1 vote
Nikumaki onigiri (Japanese meat wrapped rice balls) are delicious, small balls wrapped around white rice. They are great for a quick bite or a packed lunch. The meat wrap is strongly flavored and balances well with the white rice.
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Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

Meat Wrapped Rice Ball
  • 2 cups cooked rice (500 grams)
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 lbs thinly sliced beef (350 grams)
  • 4 tbsp cornstarch
Cooking Sauce
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp cooking alcohol
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
Optional
  • Sesame seeds (We use these for a garnish)

Method
 

Meat Wrapped Rice Ball Preparation
  1. Cook short-grained rice (sticky rice) using your preferred method
  2. Place 2 cups of cooked rice into a mixing bowl and add 0.5 tsp of salt
  3. Moisten your hands with water and form small rice balls with a diameter of about 2-3 cm
  4. Wrap the rice balls with thinly sliced beef ~16 rice balls
    Meat wrapped rice balls wrapping method
  5. Add corn starch to the outside of the meat ball and firmly press together
Cooking the Nikumaki Onigiri
  1. Add 2 tbsp of sesame oil to a pan
  2. Add the nikumaki onigiri to the pan and sear the surfaces on medium heat. Roll the balls as necessary to heat all surfaces.
  3. After the surfaces are cooked, add 2 tbsp of cooking alcohol, 1 tbsp of mirin, 1 tbsp of sugar and 2 tbsp of soy sauce into the pan
  4. Let the flavor soak into the beef over low heat. Roll the balls as needed to evenly soak all surfaces.
  5. (Optional) - add sesame seeds on top as a garnish

Video