Rice ball

Rice balls

Zongzi, opened with filling (left) and still wrapped in bamboo leaves (right)

Onigiri

A rice ball may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a ball shape. Rice balls exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia.

Types of rice balls

Types of rice ball include:

• Arancini, an Italian fried rice ball coated with breadcrumbs.
• Omo tuo, a Ghanaian staple food that is more smooth and soft due to its higher volume of water, usually eaten with peanut soup.
• Onigiri, (お握り), a Japanese rice ball made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes.
• Pinda, rice balls offered to ancestors during Hindu funeral rites and ancestor worship.
• Supplì, an Italian fried rice ball coated with breadcrumbs.
• Tangyuan (汤圆), a Chinese rice ball made from glutinous rice flour.
• Zongzi, a Chinese rice ball with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves.