Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
Plain onigiri grilled until a golden crust forms, then brushed with a shoyu-mirin glaze (or miso butter) and grilled again until lacquered and smoky. It's a classic izakaya shime and a great use for the PK Grill or a hot cast-iron pan.
Crackly, shoyu-lacquered crust outside, soft rice inside. The izakaya closer that's best over charcoal.
Why It Works
The trick is building the crust before any glaze goes on. Grilling plain rice first dries and toasts the surface into a crisp, rice-cracker-like shell. Brushing shoyu on too early just makes the rice soggy and sticky. Once the crust is set, thin coats of glaze caramelize in seconds, layering savory, sweet, and smoky flavors without soaking in. Pressing firmer and letting the balls air-dry keeps them from falling apart on the grates. The miso butter version browns even faster and adds rich, nutty depth that ties back to the grilled kabocha.
RECIPE CARD
Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
Yield: 6 onigiri | Time: 45 minutes (with cooked rice)
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Equipment
- Charcoal grill (PK Grill), gas grill, or cast-iron skillet
- Fine-mesh grill mat or well-oiled grates
- Pastry brush
- Thin metal spatula
- Small saucepan (for the glaze)
Ingredients
- Rice
- 660 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice (from about 300 g raw), warm
- Fine salt, for your hands
- Neutral oil, for the grill
- Shoyu glaze
- 30 g shoyu
- 15 g mirin
- 5 g sugar
- Or miso butter glaze
- 20 g shiro miso
- 15 g unsalted butter, softened
- 10 g mirin
- Optional
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Shiso leaves or nori strips, for wrapping
- Shichimi togarashi
Instructions
- Make the shoyu glaze: simmer the shoyu, mirin, and sugar for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves. (For miso butter, mix everything together until smooth.)
- Shape the rice into 6 firm triangles (about 110 g each) with lightly salted wet hands. Press more firmly than for regular onigiri so they hold up on the grill. Flatten to about 3/4" thick.
- Let the onigiri rest uncovered for 15–30 minutes. A slightly dry surface grills crispier and sticks less.
- Heat the grill to medium-high, clean the grates, and oil them well (or use a hot, lightly oiled cast-iron pan).
- Grill the onigiri plain, without moving them, for 4–5 minutes per side until a firm, golden crust forms and they release on their own. Crisp the edges too.
- Brush with glaze and grill 30–60 seconds per side. Repeat 2–3 times, brushing and flipping, until lacquered and lightly charred. Watch closely, because the sugar burns fast.
- Sprinkle with sesame or shichimi. Serve hot, wrapped in a shiso leaf or nori strip if you like.
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Schossow Kitchen · schossowkitchen.com
