Instant Onigiri Bento
Whenever I have a craving for onigiri at work, I’d troop to a nearby Mini-stop and grab a Samurice. They sell it frozen, then nuke it for you if you’d like one. Available in meaty flavors like adobo, meatloaf, and sisig, it’s packaged as an instant meal on the go. Course, since I prepare bento, am a big fan of Japanese cuisine, and anime as well (Kyou x Tohru OTP!) I knew it for what it was: ONIGIRI! Still, it gave rise to the question, “What if I make my own frozen onigiri?”
Contents:
• Spam-filled onigiri. This was pre-made, frozen, then microwaved. After reheating, I wrapped a bit with nori for easier handling. One is garnished with green pea eyes. The other is topped with a slice of naruto kamaboko.
• Quail eggs in Yakitori sauce, then sprinkled with black sesame seeds.
• Quartered plum tomatoes
• Grapes
• Potato Korokke and kewpie mayonnaise.
Take a Tip:
Onigiri can be frozen! Make lots in advance, freeze then nuke as needed. Lunch in a Box–of the speed bento fame–outlines this process and throws in a guide on making Yaki Onigiri to boot! It covers the topic adequately, so I don’t think I need to rehash it here, save a few suggestions of my own. (I do promise an Onigiri tutorial, but that’ll have to wait til the weekend. I found it impossible to shoot and make onigiri at the same time. Yes. I tried.)
Before freezing, spice things up by adding flavorings or stuffing your onigiri. Just be sure that it’s the kind that’ll last in the freezer, like sakura denbu, cooked tuna, or shredded kani. Wondering what I did with the leftovers from making SPAM flowers yesterday? I cubed it, pan-fried, then added it to my rice. SPAM onigiri, all ready for freezing! Whatever stuffing you choose, make sure it’s one that won’t be ruined by freezing or microwaving.
If you like wrapping your onigiri in nori for easier handling, do it after you microwave your frozen onigiri. Same with little nori face cut-outs and accents.
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I love ur bento’s!
Thanks! Yours always look yummy too.
[...] why this bento has mostly instant food. The onigiri was made from pre-cooked rice that was frozen, then microwaved without defrosting. I simply dusted my hands (still slightly wet) with salt, then hand molded away. [...]
Hi!
I found your blog through LP, it’s so cute! Your bento are so nice to look at. I can’t tell you how happy I am to find a Pinoy bento site, because you’d surely know how to put a Pinoy touch in them!
I started making onigiri early this year, too. At first I rolled the rice with my bare hands (really hurt), until I found an easier procedure at http://www.justhungry.com
I usually put tuna in mine. I wasn’t able to take pictures of them, though.
Love your entries! Looking forward to more!
Glad you like them
And as much as I love Japanese food, Filipino food is definitely the love so tapa, adobo and bistek are bento regulars for me. 
Thanks for the link, too. Justhungry is such a lovely site, I have her feed delivered to my bloglines account but I have to admit, a lot of the older posts, I’ve yet to read. About bare handed rolling though, I have a high tolerance for heat. I actually enjoy doing it by hand rather than use an onigiri mold. I’m sure a lot of people will find the clingwrap & bowl idea useful though.
Wow, I’d love to have your high tolerance for heat! Doing them by hand still beats the clingwrap technique when it comes to making perfect triangles. And I’ve never seen any onigiri molds yet–sounds good, I’ll look for some so I can have more than the usual triangles or round onigiri.
Oh, I’ll subscribe to your blog
I really love your bento! I ought to try them soon!
Oh yeah, where did you buy your craft punch? I’d love to buy some so I can make faces on my onigiri, too
Thanks!
Craft punches can be bought at the stationery section of a lot of stores, but mine were mostly bought at National Bookstore. They’re quite fun to use, heehee.
Onigiri molds can sometimes be found at 88 peso stores like Japan Home—just keep coming back until they restock it. If you’re in the Makati area, Hatchin along Kamagong in San Antonio Village (durn, I really should do a formal post about them already) stock them too.