Rice balls with Japanese Raffaello filling
5 servings
45 minutes
Rice balls with filling 'Japanese Raffaello' are an original dish inspired by Japanese cuisine but with a unique approach. They resemble classic rolls but differ in shape and presentation. Sticky rice soaked in rice vinegar gently wraps a filling of lightly salted red fish, fresh cucumber, and cream cheese. The final touch is rolling in white sesame seeds for a light nutty note. The taste is balanced—the soft texture of the cheese complements the freshness of the cucumber while the fish adds richness. These balls are perfect for festive gatherings as well as cozy home evenings. They are served with soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger to enhance traditional Japanese flavors. Elegant presentation and surprising simplicity of preparation make them an ideal choice for gourmets and lovers of Japanese cuisine.
1
If you are a fan of Japanese cuisine, then this dish is definitely for you! It will look much more interesting on the table than the long-familiar rolls and sushi. There are more than a dozen filling options for Japanese Raffaello; you can add any filling from regular rolls inside. I chose classic fish, cheese, and cucumber.
2
Boil the rice until it's not fully cooked so it doesn't fall apart. I use both sushi rice and regular rice, and I don't see a significant difference.
- Rice: 250 g
3
Cool it down and pour 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar into the pot; this is to make the rice stickier.
- Rice vinegar: 3 tablespoons
4
Meanwhile, slice the fish and cucumber into thin long strips so they can be rolled into a tube later.
- Lightly salted red fish: 300 g
- Cucumbers: 3 pieces
5
Open the cheese (I use Hochland curd cheese as an alternative to Philadelphia, much cheaper and tastes the same) and make balls slightly smaller than quail eggs.
- Philadelphia cheese: 2 pieces
6
Next, place the prepared fish slice on the surface, then the cucumber, and on top of it, place the cheese ball and roll it up.
7
When your tubes are ready, you can start finishing. You can simply stick rice on the tube and form a ball, or spread rice on a bag, place the tube on it, and roll it up to create any shape.
8
When your balls are ready, sprinkle sesame on the surface and roll the balls in it.
- White sesame seeds: 5 tablespoon
9
Your dish is ready, serve it with soy sauce, ginger, and wasabi, enjoy your meal!
- Soy sauce: to taste
- Wasabi: to taste