Yaki Onigiri

As any Japanese kid, or former kid, can tell you, onigiri are rice balls, the versatile national snack found in homes, convenience stores, and every school lunchbox. These balls are typically stuffed, mixed, or sprinkled on the outside with a multitude of tasty flavorings. They're also typically formed into oval or triangular shapes, despite being called "balls." Onigiri go way back in history; people in Japan ate rice balls over a thousand years ago, before chopsticks became common. Samurai carried onigiri wrapped in bamboo leaves to fortify themselves during battle; there's mention of onigiri enjoyed at picnics in an eleventh-century diary. In Japan today, onigiri are still the go-to food for picnics, or any outdoor or on-the-run eating, for that matter. It's not surprising that they started being grilled, too, which is what yaki onigiri are—grilled rice balls. Fire crisps up and caramelizes the rice on the outside, creating a delicious crust, which makes them even more irresistible.