This spicy tuna onigiri is incrediblly easy to make and we will show you how to make them with and without a mold! They are perfect as quick snacks, grab-and-go meals, and for road trips and picnics! The spicy mayo tuna is perfectly seasoned wrapped in seasoned sushi rice and nori. Each bite is well seasoned and flavorful, YUM!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Yield: 7onigiri
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Ingredients
4sheetsnoricut in half (or 7 sheets onigiri wrapper)
For the seasoned rice:
4cupscooked sushi ricehot and fresh (or medium grain rice)
1tablespoonSriracha(more or less to your preference)
Instructions
Prepare the rice and tuna:
Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix until dissolved.
While the sushi rice is hot, season the rice with the prepared rice vinegar and furikake. Fluff well so that the seasonings are evenly dispersed. Cover with a damp towel and set aside to let the rice cool.
Meanwhile, place the drained canned tuna into a mixing bowl. Add the Kewpie mayo and Sriracha and mix until evenly combined.
Onigiri with mold:
Place half a sheet of nori, shiny side down, and place the tip of the triangle mold at the center of the top edge of the seaweed. Add enough rice into the mold to cover the bottom, about ¼ to ⅓ cup of rice. Spread the seasoned rice as evenly as possible on the bottom and slightly up the sides of the mold to form a little "bowl."
Place about one tablespoon of the spicy mayo tuna in the center and cover the top with about the same amount of rice as the bottom, about ¼ to ⅓ cup. Spread out the rice if need be, then use the press to firmly and evenly press down the onigiri. Keep the pressure on the press and pull the triangle mold up to release the mold.
Fold the bottom half of the nori over the onigiri and fold the corners down to adhere. Set aside and repeat with remaining ingredients.*Refer to the above post for step by step photo reference!*
Onigiri without mold:
Place a sheet of cling film flat on your work surface and spread about ½ cup to ⅔ cup of the seasoned rice at the center of the cling film. Try to keep to be as even as possible and keep the rice about ½ inch thick, but make sure there are no holes.
Add about 1 tablespoon of the spicy mayo tuna at the center of the rice. Next, using the cling film, bring the rice together and twist the cling wrap to form a ball. Undo the twist and gently flatten the rice ball to about 1 inch thick. Using your hands, shape the flattened rice ball into a triangle.
Place half a sheet of nori, shiny side down, and place the triangle rice ball at the center of the top half of the seaweed. Fold the bottom half of the nori over the onigiri and fold the corners down to adhere. Set it aside and repeat with remaining ingredients.*Refer to the post above for step by step photo reference.*
Notes
Please refer to the post above for step by step photo reference, tips, and FAQs!
Drain the canned tuna well. Make sure to press the canned tuna to extract as much excess liquid from it as possible to prevent the filling from being too wet.
Season the rice while hot. It is important that you season the sushi rice while it's hot because this will properly dissolve any salt and sugar leftover and the rice absorb better when hot.
Cool the seasoned rice quickly to prevent it from becoming too sticky or mushy. You can transfer the rice to a large mixing bowl or sheet pan to help cool quickly. Some sushi chefs even fan their rice to help it cool faster.
Cover the seasoned rice as you prep the rest of your ingredients. Once the rice is cooled or is cooling on the side, make sure to cover with a damp towel to prevent it from become dry and hard.