Mixed Grain Onigiri with rice, red rice, black rice, sticky rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, barley, oats, and sesame seeds. Very tasty and satisfying.
Onigiri embodies home, safety, and comfort to most Japanese. In a week where events have sorely tested that nation, those three things are much needed. The scale of devastation wreaked by the earthquake, tsunami, and the nuclear meltdown continue to shock all of us. For those of us who wish to help in the recovery efforts, donations can be made through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and The Salvation Army.
On my last trip to Japan, I discovered juukokumai (ten grain mix) in Komagane. It consists of brown rice, red rice, black rice, sticky rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa, barley, oats, and sesame seeds. There is no hard and fast rule on how much of it you should mix into your rice. I normally add about two tablespoons to each cup of raw rice giving the cooked rice a nutty flavor and a light purplish color. The family loves onigiri when on the move. I like to mix in these grains making it a compact and nutritious little parcel from home.
Many Asian grocery stores now carry Chinese and Taiwanese varieties of pre-packed mixed grains which can be used for this purpose. You can also put together your own mix as in my Mixed Grain Okayu.
This is the juukokumai (ten grain mix) that I purchased in Komagane.
INGREDIENTS
- 1½ cups medium grain rice (Kohuko Rose, Nishiki, Botan) (300g)
- ¼ cup zakkokumai (mixed grains) (50g)
- 2 cups water (480ml)
- 1 tsp salt mix with 1 cup (240ml) water
- 2 to 3 sheets nori (cut into strips) (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare 2 to 3 onigiri molds of any shape.
- Mixed the rice and grains together. Rinse rice mix 4 to 5 times or until water runs clear. Soak rice in fresh water for 20 minutes. Drain.
- Place rice mix in a medium sized pot with 2 cups (480ml) water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cook until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and leave pot on for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat, remove pot, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fluff up rice with fork.
- Wet the onigiri mold and hands with salted water. Fill mold to the top with cooked rice. Use lid to compact rice. Remove lid, turn mold over and press down the center to unmold rice.
- Wrap or decorate with nori strips.
NUTRITION
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
thanks for sharing this. a great way to bring awareness to Japan during this devastating time.
These are beautiful and thank you for reminding folks to do what they can.
beautiful clicks…dish sounds yummy…
New to this dish Biren, but the dish definitely looks great!
My daughter loves onigiri, and she will eat just steamed rice with furikake on top as a snack. I have the 10 grain mix, it came in a 3 pound bag. I like the idea of just mixing a little with the short grain rice. Your onigiri look so nice, and I love the bamboo bento…(on my wish list).
Japan is in my prayers.
I will have to look for the 10 grain mix as mine is almost gone now. The bamboo bentos are nice but this one is actually made of hinoki and sawara cypress with cherry binding from Narai-juku. I also bought another one that is round, two-tiered, and lightly finished.
Yes, they need lots of prayers. It is sad what happened and we pray for their speedy recovery.
Thanks, I’ll have to look for a hinoki and cypress bento! It’s beautiful.
We love onigiri. Love your presentation!
LL
I love onigiri and they sound so good with the mixed grains! I hope to find this mix sometime soon!
I’ve never attempted the Japanese method of making rice — although I love eating it in Japanese restaurants — I will give this a try soon. So sorry about the tragedy that is unfolding before our eyes.
Hey Biren, yeah! This last week was pretty scary, and apparently earth quakes are going to be more and more common with ice melting and weight being redistributed over the Earth’s surface in the coming years. Fracking for natural gas is causing earth quakes in Alabama and other regions too, and people are not happy about it.
Anyway, I really hope Japan gets through this and stabilizes the nuclear situation. That must be so unnerving for the people there.
Oh, and your onigiri look so nice-a sweet tribute…
Yes, earthquakes seem to be more frequent these days, and huge ones at that! The devastation is so shocking and now they have to deal with the threat of nuclear radiation. We hope and pray aid and humanitarian efforts will be able to reach those in the badly affected areas and that Japan will recover quickly from this disaster.
Very thoughtful post! Onigiri with mixed grains sounds great. Great photos too.
looks delicious lovely colourful presentation
Onigiri says volumes about the simple, peaceful aesthetic of Japan that has been disrupted so violently by the recent devastation. Thanks for your thoughtful post, Biren.
i don’t think i’ve ever tried mixed grain onigiri before, would love to some day. i’m liking the purplish colour the grains add to the rice. your pictures are always so beautiful, Biren, even for something as plain as this.
I have never made this before, these grains are not cheap here! Your bento box does looks really nice, and your onigiri look very delicious!
Very thoughtful Post. I have some good friends in Japan and I was so pleased to hear from most of them. Love this recipe and I love your Bento box too! Lovely photographs.
So glad to hear that your friends are safe. It is sad what happened there but we hope and pray that Japan will recover quickly from this.
I love how you made a Japanese comfort food to commemorate such a beautiful culture that has been hit by such tragedy. It sounds delicious.
Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful post. It is heartbreaking what has happened and is still happening in Japan. I can’t even imagine how the Japanese people and those who have lost loved ones because of this catastrophe, must be feeling. We can make donations, have them in our thoughts and prayers, but it’s still just a drop in the ocean, sadly. Your onigiri is very pretty and a fitting tribute and reminder of the devastation the Japanese have suffered.
It is heartbreaking and every little bit we can do, though small will be helpful. We hope and pray that Japan will recover quickly from this devastation.
Thanks for bringing in such a lovely recipe! Have never heard about it, but it sure looks delicious to try 🙂 have a great week ahead, Biren!
Biren, a thoughtful tribute to Japan and its current shocking devastation. I caught my daughter saying a prayer for all those school children who were in a school at the top of the hill when the quake and tsunami hit, she was very worried that they now do not have any parents to comfort and cuddle them….bless her! A mixed grain onigiri sounds challenging, a definite must-try.
Aww…that’s very sweet of your daughter! She is a thoughtful child. Our hearts go out to all those displaced children and hope and pray that they will find homes to go to. It is really sad and I cannot even imagine how they must feel.
This looks really wonderful and is a dish I’ll have to try. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
thank you for posting this comfort food, we have everyone in our prayers
sweetlife
Looks so delicious, love the sound of the mixed grains…will have to look for that 🙂
I’ll take two please. 🙂 these look great Biren! Where do you find the molds? Are those at the Japanese grocery store as well?
Biren, you sure are a Japanese food fan feeding us with all these recipes! I used to make Onigiri for my son when he was younger but have since stopped. This post brings back memories……
I love Japanese food and cook it on a regular basis. Home cooking is a mish-mash of cuisines.
Biren,
Congrats on Top 9 today…this is a winner alright 🙂 healthy too !
Cheers,
Elin
Thanks Elin! That’s a nice surprise. 🙂
Lovely dish and presentation. I need to give it a shot soon.
These are so pretty Biren! I remembered having these in Japan too! I would probably grill it 😀
Congrats on being on today Top 9 Biren! Well deserved.
Yes, it was so sad! Hopefully, everything will be going back to normal again soon. And your origiri looks like a perfect comfort meal. Thanks for sharing. Have a fine day.
Kristy
I love visiting your site because I learn so much every time, Biren The recipes are unique and wonderful to me, but your presentation is what always wows me. That dish is so very, very beautiful.
I don’t think I can find any 10-grain rice mix in the stores – so I think that I’ll make my own. Everytime I try to get all of the ingredients I always forget and have a big bowl of black rice and beans and my family always says “Weren’t this for your onigiri?” Doh!