Born out of an empty pantry, a little creativity, and a very Japanese obsession for corn, these Japanese Grilled Street Corn Onigiri are a delicious and unusual way to serve one of Japan’s most loved foods- corn.
These little ongiri are crunchy, buttery, and brimming of sweet yellow corn, perfect as a summer snack or packing into a lunchbox!
The best part is the sweet/salty soy glaze, or tare which normally goes on grilled street corn, but instead I brushed it on the onigiri to make these rice balls yaki-onigiri style.
Onigiri (お握り) are the Japanese equivalent to the American sandwich. Universally loved, versatile, and portable, these little rice balls are a go-to for both school children and busy professionals.
What makes onigiri so loved is that it is essentially a blank canvas, where different types of fillings can be added. Some of the most popular ones include salmon, umeboshi (pickled plum) tuna, okaka (bonito), and mentaiko (spicy fish roe).
This Japanese Grilled Street Corn Onigiri recipe takes the original versatility of onigiri and gives it a fun street food twist with grilled corn and an umami packed soy-miring sauce that is brushed on.
The Japanese Love For Corn
I grew up in Hokkaido which is the northern part of Japan. The Japanese love corn, but nowhere else is this love more intense than in Hokkaido. There is corn everywhere, topped on ramen, thrown on pizza, even mixed into ice cream. It also plays first chair in the symphony of street food that lines the streets during festival season.
Japanese grilled street corn, or yaki tomorokoshi (焼きとうもろこし), is staple in Hokkaido during the summer festival months, or natsumatsuri. Sweet summer corn is grilled over hot charcoals and brushed with a sweet and salty soy-mirin glaze.
If you’ve never had Japanese grilled street corn, then I highly recommend giving this recipe a try to enjoy both the grilled street corn flavor and the convenience of onigiri!
How To Make Japanese Street Corn Onigiri
INGREDIENTS
- 4 cups hot cooked Japanese short grain rice
- 2 sheets toasted nori, cut into 1 inch strips (The dark black sheets of nori, not the pre-seasoned packets.)
- 1 15oz can of sweet corn, drained
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (I always use Kikkoman brand.)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp mirin
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the sauce. Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the hot cooked rice, corn, and salt. Fold gently to avoid breaking the rice grains.
- Using your hands or an onigiri mold, shape the rice-corn mixture into 6 onigiri.
- If using your hands, wet them first with water to prevent the rice from sticking. Scoop a handful of rice into your hands and begin packing and pressing firmly, as if making a snowball. Continue packing the rice until it is firm and evenly shaped.
- In a cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Place the onigiri flat into the skillet and let the butter sizzle around the rice for about 4-5 minutes, until side is lightly crisp. Flip the onigiri over and repeat the other side.
- Using a basting brush, brush on some of the soy glaze onto the onigiri. Flip the onigiri over one more time to char the basted side. Repeat the basting and crisping process with the other side.
- Cook the onigiri until lightly browned and the outside is crunchy. Remove from heat.
- If desired, wrap the onigiri with nori strips and serve immediately.
Japanese Grilled Street Corn Onigiri
Equipment
- rice cooker
Ingredients
- 4 cups hot cooked Japanese short grain rice
- 2 sheets toasted nori, cut into 1 inch strips This is the dark black sheets of nori, not the pre-seasoned packets
- 1 15oz can of sweet corn, drained
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp mirin
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce. Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the hot cooked rice, corn, and salt. Fold gently to avoid breaking the grains.
- Using your hands or an onigiri mold, shape the rice-corn mixture into 6 onigiri.
- If using your hands, wet them first with water to prevent the rice from sticking. Scoop a handful of rice into your hands and begin packing and pressing firmly, as if making a snowball. Continue packing the rice until it is firm and evenly shaped.
- In a cast iron skillet or nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Place the onigiri flat into the skillet and let the butter sizzle around the rice for about 4-5 minutes, until side is lightly crisp. Flip the onigiri over and repeat the other side.
- Using a basting brush, brush on some of the soy glaze onto the onigiri. Flip the onigiri over one more time to char the basted side. Repeat the basting and crisping process with the other side.
- Cook the onigiri until lightly browned and the outside is crunchy. Remove from heat.
- If desired, wrap the onigiri with nori strips and serve immediately.
