You may have seen them on social media or in a YouTube video, attracted by their beautiful colors: onigirazu are what we could call the Japanese version of a Western sandwich.
Easy to make with various colorful fillings, we're giving today a new recipe idea that will quickly become a staple in your favorite bento, whether you enjoy it by yourself or with friends.
What's onigirazu?
Onigirazu, despite what seem like a complicated name, are simply rice sandwiches. Picture a classic sandwich, but replace the bread with Japanese rice wrapped in nori seaweed, and you get an onigirazu.
They first appeared in 1991 in Tochi Ueyama's work, Cooking Papa. The manga portrayed a working dad who comes home every night and cooks dinner for his wife and son. All the recipes featured in the manga were later made available to the reader, so they could recreate them at home. Inspired by the rice sandwich his wife made for him one day, Ueyama featured it in book 22 of the series. Thanks to its simplicity and versatility, onigirazu quickly became a fan favorite.
Onigirazu vs. Onigiri
Now, you might be thinking: "So, onigirazu and onigiri are basically the same thing, but in a different form." And you're right!
Onigirazu are inspired from onigiri, but prepared differently: instead of putting rice around your fillings, you put them between 2 layers of rice, which makes them easier to make while giving you more freedom flavor wise.
As to which one is best, it's a question of taste... And container! If you have a square or rectangular bento box, onigirazu will fit perfectly inside; if your bento box is oval, you might want to go with a triangular onigiri.
By the way, why is it called onigirazu?
For the curious linguists and Japanese language lover, the word "onigirazu" comes from Japanese verb "nigiru" which means "to seize, to grasp in one's hands". And that's where the main difference between onigiri and onigirazu comes from.An onigiri is made by pressing rice in your hand to create a ball. An onigirazu, however, is wrapped in nori, which is why the verb "nigiru" is in negative form, 'nigirazu" to show it is made following a different technique!
Ingredients to make good onigirazu
Japanese Rice - Aka called sushi rice. make sure to use a short grain variety, to rince it with clear water and to cook it in twice the amount of water in a pot or in a rice cooker.
Nori Seaweed - Aka sushi seaweed. These large dried seaweed sheet will be the wrapping for your rice sandwiches. If you are not using the entire pack, make sure to keep it in a ziplock bag so it doesn't dry out too much.
Colorful Fillings - Anything can become an onigirazu filling, but to get a beautiful one, focus on color and texture. If you are making onigirazu for the first time, focus on solid ingredients : they are easier to pile up and create a clear layer once you cut the sandwich.
What is the best bento box for onigirazu ?
For this recipe, we chose to use our Wamon Yagasuri Picnic Bento Box, but in fact, there are plenty of boxes you can use. As onigirazu are square, you can opt for:
- A one-tier bento box for one person, with a compartment at least 4-5cm high like the Zen 05 Stainless Steel Bento Box, the Take Bako Bento Box or our Blue Ocean Nami Bento Box or our Sakura Petals Big Bento Box.
- A deep rectangular bento box like the Long Woven Bamboo Bento Box or the Zen 02 Stainless Steel bento Box.
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A picnic bento box like the 2-tier Wagasa Totoro Picnic Bento Box or the 3-tier Ume Picnic Bento Box.
No matter the bento box you decide to use, make sure to measure the inner height of your compartment. That way, you will know exactly how big you can make your sandwiches and how wide you should spread your rice on the seaweed to create your onigirazu, so that they fit perfectly in your box.
Onigirazu: Step-by-Step Recipe
Ready to wrap your little rice sandwiches? Follow our step-by-step recipe with photos below, and read our tips to make the perfect onigirazu.
Prefer to watch than to read? Check out our YouTube video:
[lien vidéo YT]
For 4 onigirazu:
- 400g of warm cooked rice
- 4 sheets of nori (sushi seaweed)
- Fillings of your liking (try to go for different colors and textures)
- Saran Wrap
1. Cut up a squareof saran wrap and lay it down on a cutting board. Add a nori sheet on top, rough side up.
2. Add a thin square layer of rice.
The width of your square depends on the final size of your sandwiches, so make sure to measure the inside of your bento box so you don't make them too big. Here, we went for 4cm wide.
3. Pile up your ingredients. If they are big, make sure to cut them up so they are the size of your sandwich. Think tall, not wide.
For more liquid ingredients like tuna mayo, be generous with the quantity to get a pretty layer when cutting.
4. Finally, add a think layer of rice on top.
5. Wrap your sandwich like a present with nori seaweed. Fold 2 opposite sides, then the remaining 2 sides. Pull the wrap tight to make sure your onigirazu will be compact enough and not fall apart when cutting.
Tip: To avoid cracks in your nori, dampen it slightly with wet fingers around your fillings. This will make it easier to fold.
6. With a knife, cut your sandwich down the middle, and voilà!
Conclusion
If you are looking for a new lunch idea or an alternative to traditional sandwiches, onigirazu are the food for you. Choose your favorite food, your one-tier bento if you play solo or your picnic bento if you love to share, and get wrapping!
Feel free to share your filling ideas in the comments, we love to hear what you come up with.