It's a Good Day for a Blog...

Chicken Onigiri

I've been delaying this moment for far too long. A food blog has always been on my horizon, but I never found the motivation to make it a reality. The Petite Epicure makes one promise, to provide as many single serve recipes as humanly possible. And so it begins...

My inaugural recipe, Onigiri, happens to be one of absolute favorite Japanese snacks. I must admit, I have had my fair share of misadventures with making Japanese food. A particularly disgusting batch of mitarashi dango and hard mochi come to mind. Perhaps I'll perfect those recipes someday, but today is all about the Onigiri. To make these single serve, it's time to visit your nearest Asian grocery store. I chose Hana on 14th street. I've written a glowing yelp review for them, click my yelp icon to follow along on my DC adventures.

               

                                           

There is one crucial item you must secure to make Onigiri a single serve recipe. Asian stores always carry microwaveable rice bowls, these bowls hardly take a minute to heat and will yield two Onigiri. If your appetite is like mine, add a salad and you're in business! Onigiri is traditionally filled with salted salmon, or umeboshi...but I'm just a little nuts and filled it with a chicken mayo mixture ;).

Chicken Onigiri

Serves One: Duh! 

1 microwaveable rice bowl

2 chicken tenders

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tblspn soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 tblspn mayo

Furikake (rice seasoning)

Mmm. Mise en Place

1. Slice chicken tenders as thinly as possible and season with salt and pepper

2. Heat a pan with one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and start to cook the chicken

3. Season chicken with the soy sauce and rice vinegar

That hot bubbly deliciousness

4. Drain any excess liquid, having too much liquid will saturate the Onigiri and compromise their structural integrity 

5. Place the cooked chicken in a small bowl and allow to cool slightly before mixing in the mayonnaise ( I suggest using the Japanese kewpie brand)

                                      

6. Microwave the rice bowl and allow to cool before handling (or you can be like me, and touch it immediately and burn yourself. I'm not going to judge)

7. Divide the rice and form into a circle, I suggest you coat your hands in vinegar to combat the stickiness of the rice. Place a tablespoon of the chicken mixture inside your rice. Form the rice into a ball.

                                  

8. And now for the crucial bit, forming your rice into the classic Onigiri triangle. Use your thumb and forefinger to carefully begin shaping your balls into triangles. It takes a bit of finesse and practice but you will get there!

9. And now for the final and most fun step! Sprinkle your Onigiri with the furikake of your choice and proceed to stuff your face!

Good to the last bite!