Simple, delicious spam and egg onigirazu (or in other word Japanese rice ball) made with mayonnaise, steamed rice, lettuce and bonito flake.

*** Disclaimer *** This 'Spam and egg onigirazu' was originally published on April 19th, 2015 (you can still see the original watermark on the photos). It was one of the first posts I've ever written on the blog. Back in 2015, onigirazu was one of the most influential food trends in Japan. Today, this recipe is revamped and reposted to make it be more informational.

Spam and egg onigirazu put in a bowl and hold in two hands — Spam and egg onigirazu - Japanese rice ball

What is onigirazu?

Onigirazu means “not to compress or mold”. It is a rice ball that is not tightly pressed or squeezed like onigiri. While the others have a round or triangle shape. Onigirazu has a square shape.

You can put any fillings you desired inside this Japanese rice ball. In other words, onigirazu is a square of warm rice which is layered with ham, cheese, egg, fried chicken, bonito flake, left-over stir-fry, or whatever you like.

Ketchup and mayo are common condiments used as spreads. Green such as lettuce, arugula, cilantro, spinach form demarcations in the layers. Other popular options are salmon, chives, cream cheese, tomato.

The seaweed is folded around the layers then the stack is cut in half like a sandwich. This onigirazu is unbelievably easy to make. Seriously, you probably don’t need a recipe after looked at my how-to photos.

japanese rice ball made with spam, egg, lettuce, and seaweed.

What you need to make this onigirazu

For this particular spam and egg onigirazu, you'll need

Nori - dried seaweed. Go for the premium ones thus it's the first thing you encounter when bite into this tasty onigirazu.
Spam - I always pick the reduced sodium ones but of course it's totally your choice. Just remember to reduce the amount of salt you use if going for the regular salted option.
Bonito flake - Bonito is where the uniqueness of this spam and egg onigirazu comes from. An add-on taste of these delicate flakes brings this onigirazu to the next level.
Kosher salt - Kosher salt has always been my go-to salt for cooking and baking. It is easier to use due to its coarse size.

How to assemble spam and egg onigirazu

Lay one piece of nori on a clean, flat surface like a large plate or a cutting board. Spoon and spread a thin layered of steamed rice on the middle of the seaweed. Sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper on top of the rice.
Place pieces of spam, fried egg on top. Then spread a thin layer of mayonnaise, followed by lettuce, bonito flakes on top. Mayonnaise can be replace by this sweet and delicious Japanese eel sauce.

Spoon another thin layer of steamed rice on top of everything.
Then bring the sides corner of seaweed together. Continue to fold the other two corners toward the center. Make sure the rice is tucked nicely inside but you don't need to use force and press it into a shape.

Japanese rice ball is wraped nicely in a seaweed

spam and egg onigirazu wrapped nicely in seaweed and placed on a large plate

Tips for making spam and egg onigirazu

This spam and egg onigirazu best to eat right after it is made. If you must bring it as your lunch, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so the rice remain warm and moist.

I do not recommend to make this a day ahead of time nor leave it in the fridge before eating. Because the rice will become hard and dry, it's very unpleasant to consume onigirazu this way.

So it is best to make this Japanese rice ball on the same day you intend to eat it.

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