How I Developed This Negitoro Rice Ball Recipe
Have you ever had that moment when you realize homemade beats store-bought? That’s exactly what happened with my negitoro onigiri! I used to be a convenience store onigiri fan for negitoro, but this recipe changed everything.
The star of the show is sashimi-grade tuna. But here’s the catch: I added a secret ingredient to create a melt-in-your-mouth experience you won’t believe!
Fancy finding out what my secret ingredient is? Why not give this recipe a try!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Sashimi-Grade Tuna: Go for the most cost-effective lean tuna you can find, and make sure it’s sashimi-grade. I’ve put together this recipe to make even budget-friendly cuts into a luxuriously tender, melt-in-your-mouth delicacy.
- Onigiri Base: We use cooked Japanese short-grain rice, nori seaweed strips, and just a pinch of salt. Tip: 1 Japanese rice cup (150g rice/175ml liquid volume) of uncooked rice will make about 330g of rice, enough for 3 rice balls. This recipe is for 4, so you will need to cook 1 and one-third cups of rice.
- Secret Ingredients: To create the melt-in-mouth texture, we use neutral-flavored oil, mayonnaise, and dashi granules. I used rice bran oil, but it’s up to you.
- Wasabi Paste: It doesn’t matter if you go for the store-bought paste or grate your own fresh wasabi root. If wasabi isn’t your thing, no problem! You can leave it out or adjust the amount to suit your taste.
- Green Onion: You’ve got to have finely chopped green onions in authentic negitoro!
- Dark Soy Sauce: We just use a drop of dark soy sauce for each onigiri.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Negitoro Onigiri at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Give the tuna block a quick rinse under cold water and then pat it dry with paper towels. Then sprinkle lightly with salt, a method called “shiojime,” which will enhance the flavor and get rid of any fishy odor.
Next, put the salted tuna in a container that’s elevated on one side to drain off any excess moisture for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Rinse the tuna again under cold water and pat it dry.
You can skip this shiojime process if you like, but I recommend it for the best flavor.
Use a spoon to scrape the tuna flesh.
Then mash it finely with a knife.
In a bowl, mix the mashed tuna with oil, mayonnaise, and dashi granules until everything is well incorporated.
This is how we make melt-in-mouth negitoro.
If you’re using a mold, lightly salt the onigiri mold to enhance flavor. Next, add about 50 to 60 grams of rice (about half the total amount for one onigiri) to the mold, making a small indentation in the center for the filling.
To shape the rice by hand, wet your hands with cold water and sprinkle with salt to prevent sticking. Take the full amount of rice (100-120g) for one onigiri and flatten it on your palm.
Spoon the negitoro mix into the rice indentation.
Followed by a few chopped green onions and a small dab of wasabi.
Add just a drop of soy sauce.
Whichever way you choose, make sure the rice has cooled a bit to prevent cooking the tuna inside.
If you’re using mold, cover the filling with the remaining rice. Use the mold lid to press and compact the onigiri, making sure it’s all stuck together in one shape.
I’d also like to sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top as well.
If you’re shaping by hand, just fold the rice over the filling, making sure it’s completely encased. Then, use your palms to shape it into a triangle, taking care to keep the filling inside.
Just wrap each onigiri in a strip of nori seaweed. For the best taste and texture, serve right away.
The crunch of the nori contrasts perfectly with the soft rice and creamy tuna filling.
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsI hope you enjoy this Negitoro Onigiri recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Onigiri Recipes
- Ground Chicken Rice Ball
- Salmon Rice Balls
- Devil’s Onigiri Copycat Recipe
- Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
Hungry for more? Explore my rice ball recipe collection to find your next favorite dishes!
Negitoro Onigiri (Minced Tuna Rice Ball)
Ingredients
- 60 g sashimi grade tuna block
- salt
- ½ tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- ½ tsp cooking oil
- ⅛ tsp dashi granules
- 440 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice warm (not hot)
- wasabi
- finely chopped green onions
- 4 strips roasted seaweed for sushi (nori)
- Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
Instructions
- Shiojime (optional step for improved texture & flavor). Wash and dry 60 g sashimi grade tuna block, then sprinkle with salt all over and place it in a container. Store the container in the fridge for 10-15 minutes with one side elevated to drain the excess moisture. Wash off the salt and pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Use a spoon to scrape the tuna flesh.
- Chop with a knife until it becomes roughly mashed.
- Place the mashed tuna in a bowl and add ½ tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, ½ tsp cooking oil and ⅛ tsp dashi granules. Mix until combined.
- Measure out 440 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice and divide it into equal portions. If using a rice ball mold, sprinkle a pinch of salt into the mold and add half a portion (approx 55g / 2oz) of rice. Make a dent in the center and add a spoonful of mashed tuna.
- If shaping by hand, wet your hands and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. Take a portion of rice (approx 110g / 4oz) and spread it flat on your palm, placing the tuna in the center. (Wet hands to prevent sticking.)
- Top the tuna with a small blob of wasabi and a few finely chopped green onions. Add 1 drop of Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu).
- For the mold, cover with the other half of the rice and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. For hand-shaping, fold the rice over and then shape into a rounded triangle.
- Wrap with nori and enjoy!
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