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Japanese Rice Balls

Japanese Rice Balls

Similar to Onigiri, these delicious rice balls are made from steamed rice rolled with small pieces of veggies and fish. The perfect bite size food for toddlers, and adults love them too! This Japanese Rice Balls recipe is perfect for when you want a simple, on-the-go lunch that kids and adults will both love. Add these to a bento box for school lunch or have them ready to go for an after school snack. They’re healthy, convenient and absolutely delicious.

Author: Weelicious

Meal Type: Milk Free

Cuisine: Asian

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 15 balls

Calories: 61 kcal per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 cup - short grain white rice or sushi rice
  • 1 ½ cups - water
  • 8 - baby carrots
  • 1 cup - broccoli florets
  • 1 piece - sole, or any mild white fish

Instructions

  1. Wash 1 cup of rice in a bowl and throw the water out (“washing” rice consists of filling a bowl with rice, covering it with water, rubbing the rice and then immediately dumping the water out).
  2. Repeat washing the rice 4 or 5 times throwing the water out until water is clear.
  3. Put the washed rice in a heavy bottomed pot, add 1 1/5 cups of water. Let rice soak for 30 minutes.
  4. Put the lid on the pot and bring the rice to a boil for 5 minutes. Change the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit covered for 15 minutes so it can steam.
  5. Stir the rice with a flat spoon so that the rice does not completely stick together.
  6. While the rice is cooking, put the carrots in a steamer pot over boiling water for 3 minutes. Add the broccoli and steam for 2 more minutes. Add the fish and steam for another 3 minutes or until everything is cooked through and fork tender.
  7. Place the fish and vegetables in a food processor and pulse. Do not puree the mixture, though. You want it to have a little texture, but still be dry. No not add extra liquid.
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  13. Take 1-2 tablespoons of rice and 1 teaspoon of the vegetable/fish mixture and combine.
  14. With moistened hands, roll into a ball, about the size of a golf ball. Alternatively, you can add all of the vegetable/fish mixture to the rice, but make sure that the mixture isn’t too wet or the balls will fall apart.
  15. Serve.

Nutrition

Energy: 61 kcal | Total Fat: 0 g | Saturated: 0 g | Trans: 0 g | Unsaturated: 0 g | Cholesterol: 5 mg | Total Carbs: 11 g | Fiber: 1 g | Sugars: 1 g | Proteins: 3 g | Sodium: 24 mg | Polyunsaturated: 0 g | Monounsaturated: 0 g

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