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  • 12 hours ago
Mentaiko mayo onigiri is a quick Japanese rice ball recipe filled with spicy cod roe and creamy mayonnaise for a savory snack or easy lunch. This recipe uses warm short grain rice shaped around a filling made with mentaiko, Japanese mayonnaise, and optional seasonings such as soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, or nori for extra aroma. The creamy filling adds briny seafood flavor, mild heat, and richness, while the rice keeps each bite soft and satisfying. A sheet of nori can be wrapped around the outside for crisp texture and classic onigiri flavor, or added just before serving to keep it fresh. The final rice balls come together in about ten minutes, making them practical for lunch boxes, quick meals, or Japanese-style snacks with a balanced mix of creamy, spicy, and savory flavor.
Transcript
00:00This creamy coral filling has been one of the most popular rice ball fillings for decades.
00:04Fresh mentaiko roll mixed with Japanese mayo, tacked inside, perfectly salted rice, this
00:09is mentaiko mayo onigiri.
00:11For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website, just google mentaiko onigiri space
00:16that you'd find me.
00:17We're starting with 50g of fresh mentaiko.
00:20Using kitchen scissors, carefully cut along the membrane to open the mentaiko's sack.
00:24You're going to gently separate the roll from thin outer skin using the spoon.
00:28Don't toss that skin though, I usually enjoy it with a bit of rice.
00:33Now we're building our filling.
00:35In a small mixing bowl, we'll combine that beautiful separated mentaiko roll with 3 tablespoons
00:41of Japanese mayonnaise, 1 1⁄4 teaspoon of soy sauce, and 1⁄8 teaspoon of dashi granules.
00:47Mix it gently but thoroughly until everything's fully incorporated into this creamy coral colour
00:53spread.
00:53You want it smooth, but don't worry if you still have some texture from those tiny mentaiko
00:58eggs.
00:59That's exactly what we're after.
01:01If the spread seems too runny, put it in the fridge and rest for a bit.
01:06For your handshapers out there, work your hands with cold water to prevent sticking, and sprinkle
01:13them with salt.
01:15Take about 120 grams of cooked rice for one onigiri and flatten it right on your palm.
01:23Time to add our mixture.
01:24Spoon that mentaiko mayonnaise mixture into the rice indentation you've created.
01:29Demand's really up to you, but typically one to two spoonfuls give you the perfect rice
01:34to filling ratio.
01:35You want that mentaiko evenly distributed, but we don't want it leaking out.
01:40You'll need to fold the rice over the filling, making absolutely sure it's completely encased.
01:45Then use your palms to shape it into a triangle, oval or round shape, whatever makes you happy,
01:52just keep that filling safely inside.
01:54Quick, confident movements are the key.
01:59If you're going the mold route, fill it up just over halfway, then make a small indentation
02:05right in the center, and push the rice up the edges.
02:09This just helps keep the filling in the middle.
02:13Add your filling, and then cover with rice until it's filled to the top.
02:22Use the mold lid to press and compact everything, making sure it's all stuck together in one
02:28cohesive shape, and consider sprinkling just a pinch of salt over the top surface for that
02:34extra flavor boost.
02:36Now for the final touch, wrap your nigiri with a strip of nori seaweed just before serving,
02:41not a minute earlier.
02:42Why?
02:42Why?
02:43Because if you wrap it too far in advance, that beautiful crisp nori is going to absorb moisture
02:48from the rice and turn chewy.
02:51For the best texture or contrast, apply the nori immediately before eating.
02:58And there you have it, mentaiko mayo onigiri that perfectly balances the pop and gentle heat
03:03of the mentaiko with creamy mayo, all wrapped up in perfectly seasoned rice.
03:10Want even more delicious recipes?
03:12Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
03:16Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time, and if you're ready to cook,
03:20grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to
03:25pop up on your screen.
03:26Here we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now, and if you want
03:30to watch
03:30more similar videos, don't miss my onigiri playlist popping up on your screen as well.
03:34Thanks so much for watching, and I hope to see you in the next one.
03:37Bye.
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