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The word “onigiri” became part of the Oxford English Dictionary this year, proof that the humble sticky rice ball and mainstay of Japanese food has entered the global lexicon.
The rice balls are stuffed with a variety of fillings and typically wrapped in seaweed. It’s an everyday dish that epitomizes “washoku”—the traditional Japanese cuisine that was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage a decade ago.
Onigiri is “fast food, slow food, and soul food,” according to Yusuke Nakamura, who heads the Onigiri Society, a trade group in Tokyo. Fast because you can find it even at convenience stores. Slow because it uses ingredients from the sea and mountains. And soul food because it’s often made and consumed among family and friends. No tools are needed, just gently cupped hands.
But what makes up onigiri? The sticky characteristic of Japanese rice is key. What’s placed inside is called “gu,” or filling. A perennial favorite is umeboshi or salted plum. Or perhaps mentaiko, which is a hot, spicy roe. But in principle, anything can be placed inside onigiri, even sausages or cheese.
Then the ball is wrapped with seaweed. Even one nice big onigiri would make a meal, although many would eat more. The crisp nori, or seaweed, is wrapped around the rice, with one end up so it stays crunchy. The first bite is just nori and rice. The gu comes with your second bite.
“It’s very ‘use-your-hands’, I like that,” says US tourist Roberto Rosero. “A lot of Japanese food you use chopsticks. This one felt closer to eating a hamburger.”
Miyuki Kawarada runs Taro Tokyo Onigiri, which has four outlets in Japan. Onigiri, she says, has mass appeal because it’s simple to make, is gluten-free, and is versatile. And other Japanese foods like ramen and sushi have found worldwide popularity.
“Originally Japanese and it will always be associated with Japanese cuisine, there is something about it that has become global,” says Danica Salazar, World English Editor for the Oxford English Dictionary. “It means that people around the world like it and want to have it as well and also adopt it, the original name of it.”
This article was provided by The Associated Press.