Onigiri is the new healthy meal prep

Onigiri by Jakblak

Onigiri are served and sold all over mainland Japan and the islands. They are considered a healthy yet filling snack that comprises of cooked and seasoned sushi rice that is filled with various fillings and ribbon wrapped with a strip of seaweed.  They can be eaten in just the same way as a sandwich in the West with amazing variations that will seem familiar and brand new. Give them a go for office catering, meal prep or just if you feel like a snack. They work well in children's lunchboxes as well.

Meat

 

  • Tuna Mayo (Tsunamayo): Canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise, often with a little soy sauce or a dash of black pepper. (Very popular, but included as a meat/fish hybrid).

  • Grilled Salmon (Shake/Shiozake): Flaky, salted grilled salmon.

  • Chicken Teriyaki: Grilled or pan-fried chicken glazed in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.

  • Ume-Shiso with Ground Meat (Niku-miso): A savory filling of ground meat (usually pork or beef) cooked with miso paste.

  • Pork Belly (Buta no Kakuni): Tender, slow-braised pork belly, rich and sweet.

  • Beef Gyudon Style: Thinly sliced beef and onions simmered in a dashi, soy sauce, and mirin broth.

  • Yakiniku: Grilled, marinated slices of beef (similar to Korean BBQ) cut into small pieces.

  • Soboro (Ground Meat): Seasoned ground chicken, pork, or beef, often cooked with soy sauce, sugar, and ginger until dry and crumbly.

  • Karaage (Fried Chicken): Pieces of Japanese-style fried chicken cut up and mixed into the rice or placed in the center.

  • Spicy Tuna (Maguro Yukke): Raw tuna mixed with a spicy sauce, typically containing gochujang, sesame oil, and garlic (where permitted by food safety/availability).

  • Bacon: Cooked and chopped bacon, sometimes seasoned with soy sauce or black pepper.

  • Ham and Cheese: Diced ham mixed with a slice of cheese, a more Western-style filling.

  • Chicken Curry: A spoonful of Japanese-style curry (usually dry or very thick) mixed with chicken pieces.

  • Meatballs (Tsukune): Grilled or simmered chicken or pork meatballs, often glazed with a sweet sauce.

  • Eel (Unagi) with Teriyaki Glaze: Pieces of grilled freshwater eel brushed with a sweet, thick sauce.


 

Vegetable

 

  • Ume (Pickled Plum): A classic, featuring salty and sour pickled plum paste or a whole plum in the center.

  • Kombu (Simmered Seaweed): Shredded kombu (kelp) simmered in soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until tender and savory.

  • Takana (Pickled Mustard Greens): Spicy and crunchy pickled mustard greens, often sautéed with soy sauce and sesame oil.

  • Nozawana (Pickled Leafy Green): Pickled turnip greens, a popular filling especially in the Nagano region.

  • Shiso Wakame: Shredded wakame (seaweed) mixed with shiso (perilla leaf) and seasoned with sesame oil and salt.

  • Kimchi: Spicy fermented cabbage (a popular Korean ingredient that has found its way into many Japanese foods).

  • Zucchini/Cucumber Pickles (Tsukemono): Diced or sliced crunchy pickles, offering a fresh, vinegary flavor.

  • Kinoko (Mushrooms): A mix of various mushrooms (like shiitake or shimeji) sautéed or simmered in a savory sauce.

  • Gobo (Burdock Root) & Carrot (Kimpira Style): Shredded gobo and carrot sautéed with soy sauce, sugar, and chili flakes.

  • Edamame and Salt: Simple, boiled edamame (soybeans) mixed into the rice with a sprinkle of salt.

  • Sansai (Mountain Vegetables): Various wild mountain vegetables preserved and seasoned, offering an earthy flavor.

  • Nattō (Fermented Soybeans): Sticky, fermented soybeans (a unique texture and smell, but very nutritious).

  • Tenkasu (Tempura Scraps): Crispy bits of fried tempura batter, often mixed with soy sauce or mentsuyu for a crunchy, savory texture.

  • Avocado and Soy Sauce: Cubes of fresh avocado mixed into the rice with a dash of soy sauce and possibly sesame.

  • Corn and Butter (Kōn Bātā): Sweet corn kernels mixed with a small amount of butter, a simple yet comforting flavor.


 

Fish & Seafood

 

  • Grilled Salmon (Shake/Shiozake): Flaky, salted, grilled salmon, one of the most traditional and popular fillings.

  • Tuna Mayo (Tsunamayo): Canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise, often seasoned with soy sauce or black pepper.

  • Tarako (Salted Cod Roe): Salted cod roe, eaten raw or lightly grilled, offering a salty, slightly firm texture.

  • Mentaiko (Spicy Cod Roe): Cod roe marinated in chili pepper, giving it a spicy kick (similar to Tarako but seasoned).

  • Shirasu (Whitebait/Baby Sardines): Tiny, soft white fish, usually mixed with soy sauce or seasoned with salt and sometimes shiso leaf.

  • Grilled Mackerel (Saba): Pieces of grilled mackerel, typically salted or simmered in miso (miso saba).

  • Ebi (Shrimp) Mayo: Cooked shrimp diced and mixed with mayonnaise.

  • Toro (Fatty Tuna): High-quality, fatty tuna belly (often raw, so typically found only in specialized shops).

  • Ikura (Salmon Roe): Whole salmon roe marinated in soy sauce, providing a burst of flavor when eaten.

  • Abalone (Awabi): Sliced or chopped abalone, often seasoned with soy sauce, usually a more premium filling.

  • Hotate (Scallop) and Butter: Cooked scallops mixed with a touch of butter and soy sauce.

  • Crab Meat (Kani) Mayo: Shredded crab meat (real or imitation) mixed with mayonnaise.

  • Tempura Shrimp (Ebi Tempura): A piece of deep-fried tempura shrimp, often drizzled with a sweet tempura sauce.

  • Katsuo-Bushi (Bonito Flakes) with Soy Sauce: Dried, smoked, and fermented bonito flakes, mixed with a small amount of soy sauce (a simple, savory classic).

  • Clams (Asari) in Miso: Small clams cooked in miso paste, offering a rich, umami flavor.


 

Choose Life and choose to eat healthy

A balanced diet begins firstly with a choice. Let us make that choice easy for you by providing lots of different & interesting fillings that are fresh, seasonal and healthy.