Steps

1. Trim the root ends of the scallions, cut them in half, and then finely chop.
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2. Dice the baby cheese into 1cm cubes.
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3. For the Mentsuyu Version: In a bowl, combine 5 tbsp of tempura flakes and 1 tbsp of mentsuyu and mix well.
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4. In a separate bowl, lightly break up 300g of cooked rice. Add the seasoned tempura flakes and 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil and mix until uniformly combined. [Key Tip!] Adjust the seasoning by adding more mentsuyu if needed.
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5. Add the finely chopped 2 stalks of scallions and mix gently to avoid releasing moisture. [Key Tip!] Adding the scallions last prevents them from releasing excess water.
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6. Shape into onigiri using a mold or your hands.
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7. For the Spicy Grilled Onigiri Variation: Heat 1/2 tbsp of mirin in the microwave (600W) for 30 seconds to evaporate the alcohol.
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8. Add 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/4 tsp of dashi powder, and 1/2 tsp of sugar to the heated mirin and mix well until the sugar dissolves.
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9. Pour the seasoning mixture over 5 tbsp of tempura flakes and mix thoroughly.
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10. In a separate bowl, lightly break up 300g of cooked rice. Add the seasoned tempura flakes, the diced 2 pieces of baby cheese, shichimi togarashi (to taste), and 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil and mix well.
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11. Add the finely chopped 2 stalks of scallions and mix gently.
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12. Shape into onigiri using a mold or your hands.
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13. If making grilled onigiri, firmly shape the onigiri by hand again. [Key Tip!] This ensures they don't fall apart during grilling, so shape them firmly from the start.
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14. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the rice grains to meld.
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15. Lightly oil a frying pan with sesame oil (to taste) and heat over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
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16. Place the onigiri in the heated frying pan and grill over medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Once one side is browned in about 1 minute, flip and grill the other sides and edges until done.
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