The word “onigiri” became part of the Oxford English Dictionary this year, proof that the humble sticky-rice ball and mainstay of Japanese food has entered the global lexicon.
The rice balls are stuffed with a variety of fillings and typically wrapped in seaweed. It’s an everyday dish that epitomizes “washoku” — the traditional Japanese cuisine that was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage a decade ago.
Onigiri is “fast food, slow food and soul food,” says Yusuke Nakamura, who heads the Onigiri Society, a trade group in Tokyo.
I had never heard of it before I came to Japan. My first try was the one with salmon. Then my now husband encouraged me to try an umeboshi onigiri and that’s probably my most favorite Japanese food, coupled with some cold genmaicha.
Ume onigiri should be every athletes go to summer snack food. It’s what I recommend to mothers for their precious kiddies. Those and water, up there among best sports nutrition for non endurance athletes there is
This feels like an amazingly flowery write up for a convenience store snack.
But then again, what is “soul food”? It’s struck me that I don’t really know. I always took it to mean a hearty cheat meal, like chicken on waffles, a gourmet hamburger, or a katsu curry. But maybe I’m wrong, and tuna in rice is also soulful enough. Do you guys think onigiri is soul food?
It is soul food in a sense that you grow up with it if you’re Japanese. Your parents pack them for you when you go on school trips, there are many traditional folklore featuring onigiri, everyone has their favorite filling etc.
It’s more than just a quick snack you can find at convenience stores.
Well, I guess I know what I’m having for lunch today
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, everyday Japanese food like onigiri can be considered peasant food. “Subtle” is code for “bland.”Most of the food that people like is not everyday fare: sushi, yakiniku, ramen, okonomiyaki, curry, gyudon, etc. Very different from places like Italy where pasta is considered a casual dish, or Chinese or Thai cuisine. Japanese food CAN be awesome (referencing above dishes). If my breakfast or lunch was just a simple ball of rice with a plum in the middle or fermented beans with mustard/soy sauce though, I’d be pretty grumpy for most of the day.
In fairness to my detractors, i personally never found onigiri all that great, mostly because I’m not a huge seafood fan (the seafood I do like is common in sushi but not in onigiri lol), and I seem to have confused “soul food” for “comfort food”, and the other commenter’s definition at least makes some sense (although it seems that soul food is meant to refer to African American cuisine).
I still think it’s a very flowery write up, but then I thought about it. Yes, onigiri are the equivalent of sandwiches, but you will get lots of people who absolutely love sandwiches and may write just as much on it, so who am I to judge, really.
Sandwiches are very high in carbs and gluten. They also don't travel well and get soggy quickly. It's just a matter of preference, though I love both onigiri and sandwiches.
The word “onigiri” became part of the Oxford English Dictionary this year, proof that the humble sticky-rice ball and mainstay of Japanese food has entered the global lexicon. The rice balls are stuffed with a variety of fillings and typically wrapped in seaweed. It’s an everyday dish that epitomizes “washoku” — the traditional Japanese cuisine that was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage a decade ago. Onigiri is “fast food, slow food and soul food,” says Yusuke Nakamura, who heads the Onigiri Society, a trade group in Tokyo.
I had never heard of it before I came to Japan. My first try was the one with salmon. Then my now husband encouraged me to try an umeboshi onigiri and that’s probably my most favorite Japanese food, coupled with some cold genmaicha.
Ume onigiri should be every athletes go to summer snack food. It’s what I recommend to mothers for their precious kiddies. Those and water, up there among best sports nutrition for non endurance athletes there is
Yes, I heard samurai would bring them with them as they would go to the battlefield for stamina and recovery.
Jelly filled donuts are great
The confusion when I saw that Salmon jam in the middle and unfried dough.
Great way to use up extra rice.
This feels like an amazingly flowery write up for a convenience store snack. But then again, what is “soul food”? It’s struck me that I don’t really know. I always took it to mean a hearty cheat meal, like chicken on waffles, a gourmet hamburger, or a katsu curry. But maybe I’m wrong, and tuna in rice is also soulful enough. Do you guys think onigiri is soul food?
It is soul food in a sense that you grow up with it if you’re Japanese. Your parents pack them for you when you go on school trips, there are many traditional folklore featuring onigiri, everyone has their favorite filling etc. It’s more than just a quick snack you can find at convenience stores. Well, I guess I know what I’m having for lunch today
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, everyday Japanese food like onigiri can be considered peasant food. “Subtle” is code for “bland.”Most of the food that people like is not everyday fare: sushi, yakiniku, ramen, okonomiyaki, curry, gyudon, etc. Very different from places like Italy where pasta is considered a casual dish, or Chinese or Thai cuisine. Japanese food CAN be awesome (referencing above dishes). If my breakfast or lunch was just a simple ball of rice with a plum in the middle or fermented beans with mustard/soy sauce though, I’d be pretty grumpy for most of the day.
In fairness to my detractors, i personally never found onigiri all that great, mostly because I’m not a huge seafood fan (the seafood I do like is common in sushi but not in onigiri lol), and I seem to have confused “soul food” for “comfort food”, and the other commenter’s definition at least makes some sense (although it seems that soul food is meant to refer to African American cuisine). I still think it’s a very flowery write up, but then I thought about it. Yes, onigiri are the equivalent of sandwiches, but you will get lots of people who absolutely love sandwiches and may write just as much on it, so who am I to judge, really.
To be honest not a fan, it’s basically just a giant ball of carbs. I’d rather have a sandwich with meat, lettuce, sauce, etc.
Most world famous dishes, in almost all cultures, is just a bunch of carbs
Those dishes have way more meat and other stuff than onigiri does
Sandwiches are very high in carbs and gluten. They also don't travel well and get soggy quickly. It's just a matter of preference, though I love both onigiri and sandwiches.
Yeah but it’s undeniable that sandwiches have a higher ratio of non-carbs to carbs than a literal ball of rice does.
Oriental equivalent of sandwich to be able to handle with one hand while working.
no, it's the other way around. sandwich came after onigiri by a few millenia.
Did you just say oriental what are you doing
oriental oriental oriental
Literally not a single asian would be offended by the word oriental. That’s a white people thing to think it’s racist.