Homemade Tuna Mayo Onigiri: The Delightful Crunch of Cucumber
Homemade Tuna Mayo Onigiri: The Delightful Crunch of Cucumber
The Ultimate Tuna Mayo Onigiri Recipe, Easy to Make at Home
I was so inspired by a friend’s incredibly delicious onigiri at a hiking trip that I decided to recreate it. This recipe perfectly balances the creamy, savory tuna mayo filling with the refreshing crunch of cucumber, making it a truly delightful treat. It’s detailed step-by-step, perfect for beginners. If you love that crisp texture, adding cucumber is a must! While delicious without it, I personally find the addition of cucumber elevates the flavor with its satisfying crunch and freshness.
Base Ingredients- Seaweed sheets for kimbap (triangle onigiri size): As needed
- Cooked rice (freshly cooked and warm): As needed
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the rice. Mix a little sesame oil into freshly cooked, warm rice. Gently combine so the rice grains don’t clump together. Let the rice cool down a bit until it’s suitable for making onigiri.
Step 2
While the rice is cooling, prepare the cucumber. Thinly slice the cucumber and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle a very small amount of salt and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This step removes any bitterness and preserves the crispness. After salting, lightly rinse the cucumber under running water and then squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand. Removing excess water is crucial to prevent the onigiri from becoming soggy.
Step 3
Now it’s time to make the tuna mayo filling. Drain the oil from two cans of tuna and place the tuna in a bowl. Add a generous amount of mayonnaise. For two standard cans of tuna, aim for about 2.5 to 3 times the volume of the rice in mayonnaise. Adjust this amount based on your preference; too little can make the filling dry, and too much can be overly rich.
Step 4
It might seem like you’re adding a lot of mayonnaise, but when mixed with the rice, it creates a perfectly moist and delicious onigiri filling. Don’t be shy with the mayo; it helps bind the rice together beautifully.
Step 5
Divide the prepared tuna mayo mixture in half. To one half, add the squeezed cucumber slices and mix well. Leave the other half plain. This way, you can enjoy two different flavors of onigiri filling: one with the crisp cucumber and the other with the classic smooth tuna mayo taste.
Step 6
Here are the tools for shaping your onigiri. You’ll need kimbap seaweed sheets and a triangle onigiri mold. The mold shown in the picture was purchased from Amazon. Using a mold helps create uniform and neat shapes, making your onigiri look even more appetizing.
Step 7
Now, follow the instructions of your onigiri mold to shape them. Place rice in the mold, add a portion of the tuna mayo filling (either with or without cucumber), and then cover with more rice. Gently press to shape, then wrap with a sheet of seaweed. Using a mold makes it easy to create beautiful onigiri, even for beginners. It might take a little time, so be patient and enjoy the process!
Step 8
Ta-da! Your delicious homemade tuna mayo onigiri are ready. Each bite offers a wonderful contrast between the crunchy cucumber and the creamy tuna mayo – truly delightful! Since you made them yourself, they taste even more special. Next time, I plan to try making ‘Tuna Kimchi Onigiri’ with spicy kimchi. Enjoy your delicious creation!
