Perfect for Hallowe’en, here are the spooky monster rice balls from Zelda Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild! Read my cooking reflection about making this pretty purple monster rice ball recipe with a honey ginger meat filling. This post also contains a guide on how to get monster extract in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom!

How I Made Monster Rice Balls

Printable Recipe for Honey Ginger Ground Meat

How To Get Monster Extract in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom

The monster foods from Zelda Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of Wild really are quite a bit of fun to make. I kind of love that under the description of monster rice balls in Zelda, it says that “the unique aroma of these rice balls is not for everyone.”

This made me wonder, what do the different monsters in Hyrule and the depths smell like? Also do they smell different in the depths versus on the surface? I have questions.

Monster Rice Balls in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild: Monster Extract + Hylian Rice

Tip: You can increase the heart count of monster rice balls by adding a hearty radish or golden apple.

Just Adding Extra Hearts, But No Elemental Effects

To add extra hearts to your rice balls, but no elemental effects, try adding some of the following:

• Hylian tomatoes
• Korok fronds
• Chickaloo nuts
• Palm fruit
• Apple
• Wildberry

And now here’s my review on making monster rice balls, enjoy!

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How I Made Monster Rice Balls

Note: This is not an authentic Japanese onigiri / rice ball recipe. This reflection is just based on my experience recreating a rice ball from a video game.

My rice ball posts are made solely regarding my own experience cooking the rice ball recipes inspired by the Zelda. I’m not including recipe cards with any of these rice balls, since these are my own fun cooking reflections. Enjoy!

With these ingredients, I made 6 monster rice balls.

The ingredients I chose to make the purple rice included:

• 6-8 cups water – to reduce to 3 cups purple water
• 1 cup cherries, cut into pieces (1/3 cup of chopped beets would also work!)
• 3 cups chopped red cabbage
• 3 cups short grain sushi rice

For the filling, I used a previous delicious honey ginger meat filling of mine. It’s so good even just by itself!

Filling

• 1/2 cup ground meat
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp chili oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Sriracha
• 1 cup water with a dash of salt

For cooking tools and preparation, I used:

• medium pot with a tight-fitting lid
• wood spatula for handling the rice
• cutting board
• knife
• measuring spoons
• measuring cup
• cooking spatula
• frying pan
• basting brush
• small dishes

How I made monster rice balls:

First, I made purple water for the rice. I added the water, chopped red cabbage, and cut-up cherries to a pot, then brought it to a boil over high heat. I let this simmer until the liquid reduced to about 3 cups, then strained out the cabbage and cherries to reserve the liquid.

Next, I cooked the rice. I washed the rice with cold water, until the water ran clear. Then I soaked the rice in water for 40 minutes, then washed it again.

I added the rice and dyed purple water to a pot and covered it with a tight-fitting lid. I brought the water to a boil over high heat, then reduced the heat to low and cooked the rice for 20 minutes.

Then, I removed the rice from the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes (still covered with the lid).

While the rice cooled, I cooked the meat filling in a pan over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. I added the grated ginger, minced garlic, seasonings, sweetener, salt and pepper, then continued to cook the meat for another 4 minutes or so. Once fully cooked, I set the meat filling aside to cool.

Finally, once the rice had cooled enough to touch with my bare hands it was time to assemble the rice balls. I filled a small dish with a cup of room temperature water and a pinch of salt to dip my hands into as needed, so they wouldn’t get sticky.

I wetted my hands in the salt water, then took about 3/4 of a cup of rice into one cupped hand.

Next I made an indent in the middle of the rice in my hand. I find it helpful to think about making a bowl or mug shape with the rice whenever I do this.

Then I added about 1 tbsp meat filling into the indent in the rice, then folded up the edges of the rice to cover the filling. I had to re-wet my hands a few times while doing this. I also needed to add a little extra rice to fully cover the meat filling once or twice.

To make the rice into a triangular prism shape, I began by making a 45 degree L shape with my right hand and cupping the rice ball into my hand repeatedly. I don’t own a rice ball press, but cupping with my hands still rendered a fairly triangular shape.

I stored the rice balls we didn’t eat immediately in the fridge for the following day, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, in an airtight container.

The final verdict: These were delicious. The filling was sweet and satisfying with just a touch of spice. The rice just tasted like rice; there wasn’t much (if any) added flavour from the cherries or red cabbage in the rice, which I was quite happy about. I would definitely make these again. The filling is also just so good.

Also once these rice balls were assembled I whipped up some Sriracha mayo and dipped them into the sauce as I ate. Wow, so tasty!

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Monster Extract’s Back On The Menu!

I thought for these particular rice balls (plus the fact that tomorrow is Hallowe’en), it might be worth mentioning how to actually acquire monster extract! (While also providing my recipe for honey ginger ground meat filling.)

Basically, you’ll have to make your way across Akkala and up to Tarrey Town, if you want to get your hands on some monster extract in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom – which I’m sure you do, especially if you’re in the process of completing any of the quests from the Hateno School.

Fyson, the Rito shopkeeper, sells monster extract at his shop in Tarrey Town.

I also find that Fyson’s shop one of the more convenient places to pick up a few bombs with little effort. You do have to run into Fyson at the Woodland Stable first though. It’s fairly easy to accumulate money in Tears of the Kingdom, and sometimes I just don’t feel like going through the underground castle passageway to farm bomb flowers. This spot might be expensive, but much more convenient.

Near Woodland Stable you can find both Kilton and Koltin early in the game. Speak with each of them and receive the “The Hunt for Bubbul Gems” side adventure. Give Koltin his first bubbul gem, and then Kilton will tell you he’s heading to Tarrey Town.

Once you get to Tarrey Town there’s still one more matter – help Mattison prepare to leave for Gerudo Town. To do this, you’ll need to speak with Mattison and both her parents (Rhondson and Hudson) and hear each of their sides of the situation. Then help Mattison use the zonai railway car, unblock the door to Hudson’s house, and hand some sundelions over to Mattison.

Finally, you are ready to embark on the quest for Kilton, just to get monster extract. As I said, this is such a long process, the monster extract at Fyson’s shop must be looking very attractive right now! So, how does one actually get monster extract from Kilton?

Find Kilton in Tarrey Town. At this point he should be standing with Hudson in front of what looks like the grass for a mini golf course. Him and Hudson are discussing how much Kilton loves monsters, and wants to make a sort of monster gallery for the townspeople to appreciate – so they can all learn to love monsters, just like Kilton. How sweet. Of course, you with your trusty camera are just the person to help them out.

Kilton will reward you with monster extract whenever you present him with photo of a monster he’s obsessed with. Then Kilton, with the help of Hudson, will craft. a replica of the monster based off the photo to add to his “Monstrous Collection” – as the quest is so aptly named.

And with that you should be well on your way to revel in the joy of collecting monstrous photos and a lot of monster extract.

Will you make some monster rice balls for All Hallow’s Eve? Let me know!