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1
Season the warm cooked rice with salt and divide into eight equal portions. With wet hands, press each portion into a firm triangular or round ball — more compactly than a standard eating onigiri, since structural integrity is required for handling on the grill. The ball should hold its shape without cracking when placed on a surface.
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2
Prepare a charcoal grill (binchotan is ideal) at medium heat, or set a lightly oiled flat pan over medium heat. Place the onigiri on the grill or pan and leave them entirely undisturbed. This is where the dish lives or dies: the exterior must dry and crust in uninterrupted contact with the heat before any soy sauce is applied — premature brushing burns the soy before the crust has formed. After 3–4 minutes, the underside should be set and pale gold; lift one carefully to check. It should release cleanly without tearing.
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3
Turn the onigiri carefully onto the next face. Allow each face to crust in turn, 2–3 minutes per face, turning as few times as necessary. A well-formed yaki-onigiri holds together through the turn; one insufficiently pressed will crack or collapse.
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4
Once a firm, dry exterior has formed on all faces, brush the onigiri with soy sauce. Return to the heat for 1–2 minutes per face, brushing a second layer as each face darkens. The soy caramelises into a mahogany lacquer; the surface will deepen from amber to a deep brown and take on a slight sheen. For miso yaki-onigiri, brush sweet white miso paste in the final minutes only — its sugars caramelise rapidly and will blacken if applied too early.
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5
Remove from the heat when all faces carry a genuinely crispy, caramelised crust — not merely warm or dry, but with an audible crispness when tapped with a fingernail. The interior should remain soft. Serve immediately.