How To Reheat Onigiri?

Have you prepared too many onigiris and need help with how to reheat/store them?

Onigiri makes for an excellent snack. However, the rice tastes even better when it is warmed up. Rice left tends to become sticky, gummy, and clumpy.

As a result, it is essential to be familiar with the best techniques for reheating Onigiri. If you want to find out how to reheat Onigiri, keep reading.

What is Onigiri?

Onigiri is a famous Japanese comfort food that consists of a ball/cone of rice, sometimes with a filling & wrapped in nori. They are also known as nigirimeshi & omusubi (seaweed).

The Japanese term nigiru, which may mean either “to grip” / “to squeeze,” is where the word “onigiri” originates from. This food item gets its name because it is formed into a ball using a hand.

Onigiri is easily transportable and may be found in supermarkets and convenience shops all around Japan, comparable to sandwiches in Western countries.

Can you reheat Onigiri?

While it is possible to reheat Onigiri, you should do so only if you are confident that it’s safe to consume after being reheated. Reheated or cooked rice could contain Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can make people sick.

Reheating Onigiri properly will ensure that the delicate tastes, crispy outside, and soft inside, are all preserved. Reheating Onigiri in the microwave is the most convenient method.

@munchin_mash Crispy tuna onigiri #tunaonigiri #onigiri ♬ original sound – Wayne Chang

How to Reheat Onigiri in an Air Fryer

Your Air Fryer is perfect for quickly rewarming any dish that contains rice.

Onigiri may be reheated in various ways, but if you have never done it in the Air Fryer before, now would be a fantastic time to give it a go. It is simple to do and very quick.

Air-fry, the Onigiri for 4 minutes, flip it around, and now, air fry it for another 4 minutes when the air fryer has been preheated to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cooking times vary widely depending on the kind of air fryer and its size. So, make necessary adjustments to the cooking times.

Is rewarming Onigiri in the microwave even possible?

Onigiri may be reheated in a microwave in one of two different ways. You can either place the Onigiri in a bowl wrapped in plastic wrap or moisten a paper towel first and then wrap it around the Onigiri before putting it into the bowl.

You can microwave at a power level of 50% for intervals of 20 seconds until the food is heated.

How to Reheat Onigiri in the Microwave?

Reheating food in the microwave is the quickest, most handy, and least complicated method, regardless of whether you are reheating Onigiri that you purchased at your go-to Konbini (convenience shop) or heating already prepared leftovers. For the best possible results, reheat your Onigiri in this way:

Take off the nori (the wrapper made of toasted seaweed) and put it to the side.

Your Onigiri, a ball of steamed rice, should be firmly wrapped in plastic wrap suitable for the microwave. It prevents the soft interior from drying out and falling apart and preserves the object’s form.

If you want to keep the Onigiri inside the freezer, you shouldn’t let them defrost before putting them away. Warm it up while frozen to ensure it retains as much moisture as possible.

If you want to avoid having unevenly heated pieces, avoid reheating several portions at the same time. Only 1 or 2 onigiris should be placed at a time.

Reheat in the microwave using the setting for reheating. When using an older microwave, choose a low-temperature level and cook for thirty seconds to 1 minute at that level.

Swap out the nori, then serve.

How to Reheat Onigiri in the Oven

There are better methods than oven reheating Onigiri to bring back the original taste and consistency of the dish. On the other hand, using an oven to bring out the smokey flavors of fillings like grilled fish/chicken may be pretty effective.

It is an excellent way to take advantage of the heating in the kitchen, mainly if you are already using the oven. The following are the most effective ways to revive the taste while preserving a significant portion of the initial texture:

• Take the nori out of the package and set it aside.
• Each Onigiri should be wrapped in aluminum foil.
• Put the oven on to 375 ℉ to get it ready. Rice cooked at an extremely high temperature will turn dry and too crispy.
• After placing a baking sheet on that oven tray, arrange the Onigiri wrapped in aluminum foil on top of the baking sheet. Put the tray in the oven to warm it.
• It should be allowed to warm up for around 5 minutes before removal.
• Swap out the nori, then serve.

How to Reheat Onigiri without an Oven and Microwave

Placing the Onigiri inside the microwave oven and allowing the appliance to do the work for you is, ideally, the most effective method to reheat it. However, this only happens in some cases.

Because it is possible to imagine how humans used to rewarm food / cook it before the invention of ovens, it is crucial to keep this in mind.

Several more conventional approaches to carrying out these tasks may be used. Sometimes we have to opt for reheating the onigiris without a microwave or oven.

As a result, this article will provide you with two other highly suggested alternatives to using an oven/microwave to reheat the onigiris if no microwave/oven is available. You may use any of them, provided what you have available inside your home.

Therefore, before warming the Onigiri without using the microwave/ oven, let us briefly examine the available options. They are

• Reheating Onigiri in a Steamer
• Reheating Onigiri using a Frying Pan

How to Reheat Onigiri in a Steamer

Reheating your Onigiri by steaming is excellent since it heats the rice uniformly and makes it more pliable. Reheating your Onigiri inside a steamer may be done as follows:

• Put a little water inside the pan on the bottom of the stove.
• Bring to a boil, then set the pan with the perforations on top.
• To ensure that the water simmers at a constant temperature, slightly lower the heat.
• Take the nori off the Onigiri and set it aside.
• The Onigiri should be placed on top of the perforated baking sheet that has been lined inside the top pan.
• Warm the Onigiri for at least three minutes while it is covered with the upper cap.
• Take out the Onigiri and replace it with the fresh nori before serving.

How to Reheat Onigiri using a Frying Pan

Onigiri may taste new when reheated in a frying pan while simultaneously amplifying the original pungent scents. Additionally, it is the best way to revive Onigiri, which is on the point of going bad. The simple steps are as follows:

• Remove the nori from its wrapping and put it aside.
• Bring the frying pan up to a temperature of medium heat.
• Heat some softened butter, olive oil, or sesame oil.
• Fry the Onigiri in a pan for a few minutes on both sides.
• To create the crispy layer, dot each side with a few dashes of soy sauce/ teriyaki sauce and continue to cook the meat for an additional minute per side.
• Take the Onigiri out of the pan & wrap it in the nori after it has cooled.

Conclusion

Onigiri is a traditional Japanese snack consisting of white rice that has been shaped into a triangle or cylinder before being wrapped with nori. Depending on your preferred method, it may be reheated using the microwave, steamed, or fried.

Leftover Onigiri that hasn’t been eaten may be saved for later by placing it in the refrigerator or freezer. Remember to tightly wrap each Onigiri using plastic so that it doesn’t dry while you’re keeping it in your fridge or freezer.

Related reading: How To Store Jalebi?

Related reading: How to Reheat Funnel Cake?

Related reading: How To Make Cabbage Juice Without A Juicer Or Blender?