How to Make 15-Min Okaka Onigiri (Seasoned Bonito Flakes Rice Balls)

When people think of traditional onigiri fillings, Okaka is often right up there at the top of the list. Even today, with all the creative new onigiri variations out there, this simple but delicious combo still holds its own as one of the most popular choices. You can also find this recipe on my website along with 400 Japanese recipes. Just google Okaka Onigiri Space that you'd find the written recipe. First up, let's mix our flavouring. In a large bowl, add 15g of bonito flakes, 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of toasted white sesame seeds, 1⁄2 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon of sugar, and 1⁄4 teaspoon of dashi granules. Give it a good mix until those bonito flakes are completely saturated with all that savoury goodness. Once it looks like this, add 600g of cooked Japanese rice and mix until everything is evenly distributed. So if you prefer, you can place the Okaka right in the middle of the rice bowl. Use a cut and fold motion with your spatula like this, that way you won't crush the rice while you mix it. 600g of rice will make between 4 and 7 rice balls depending on the size. So what exactly is Okaka? Originally, the word just meant thinly shaved dried bonito, but these days when we say Okaka, we're talking about those fine bonito flakes mixed with soy sauce and seasonings like this recipe. The beauty of this recipe is that it doesn't require any fresh ingredients, just common Japanese pantry items with a long shelf life. Perfect for those days when your fridge is empty and you're craving something filling and tasty. Okay, it's evenly mixed. Now, I'll walk you through all three methods of shaping onigiri. Let's start with hand shaping. First things first, give your hands a thorough wash, then plunge your hands into ice cold water for about 15 to 20 seconds. This isn't to chill your hands, it actually prevents the rice from turning into a sticky mess all over your palm. Grab yourself a handful of rice. If you want your onigiri to look uniform, try dividing your rice equally before you start shaping. I usually grab a handful. Cup your hands lightly and press that rice into your folded palm, then rotate and press to create those classic three edges. Keep pressing and turning until you've got a firm rice ball that holds its shape. Don't worry if your first few attempts don't look perfect. I've been doing this since I was a kid and practice makes perfect. Once it's shaped, you can wrap it with nori and tuck in. Next up, the mould method. And let me tell you why some people swear by these plastic helpers. They're arguably hygienic and give you that consistent shape and size every time. Just press the rice gently into your mould, making sure to fill it right to the top. Don't skimp on the rice or it'll fall apart, but don't pack it too tight either. Place the lid on and give it a firm press. This is what gives you that stable shape that won't fall apart during lunch. Then just push down the top at the back, pull away the mould and there you have it. Perfectly shaped onigiri. Last but not least, we've got the plastic wrap method. This is especially great if you're meal prepping. Shape them, cool them and they're ready for the freezer. Place your rice in the centre of the wrap, then lift those edges to wrap it all up nice and secure. With the rice all wrapped up, cup your hand and give it a gentle press into your folded palm. Just like with the hand shaping method, rotate and press to form those three plastic edges until you're happy with the shape. If you're freezing them, then don't put the nori on. You should do that right before eating so the nori is nice and crisp. Anyway, that's it. Okaka Onigiri. One of Japan's classic rice ball flavours. Want even more delicious recipes? Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description. Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time. And if you're ready to cook, grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up on your screen. There we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now. And if you want to watch more similar videos, don't miss my Onigiri Recipe playlist popping up on your screen as well. Thanks so much for watching and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye!