Japanese: Onigiri (Rice Balls with Sushi Rice)

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(makes about 10 rice balls)

Sushi rice ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked sushi rice (Japanese glutinous short-grained white rice)
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons bonito soup stock powder (“dashi powder”)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Rice ball ingredients:

• Nori (toasted seaweed sheets)
• Rice seasoning (see variety)
• Rice ball stuffing options: seasoned seaweed, sake (salmon), umeboshi (pickled plum), tuna salad (canned tuna with mayonnaise), tarako (salted cod roe), etc

Procedure:

1. Rinse the rice in a strainer or colander under cold running water until the water runs clear; set aside
2. Add remaining ingredients to a rice cooker, stir
3. Add rice, stir
4. Turn on rice cooker to “cook”; when rice is boiling (about 5 minutes), open lid and stir ingredients vigorously (to help prevent rice from sticking to bottom); close lid and let rice finish cooking
5. When all the water has been absorbed, turn off rice cooker (do not let rice cooker keep the rice warm); remove lid and cover with damp cloth; set aside to cool to room temperature before using
6. Test the stickiness of the rice: wet your hands, scoop up a ball of rice and squeeze; if the rice does not hold its shape, sprinkle some water on rice and gently mix; repeat test
7. To make plain rice balls: add about ½ cup of cooked rice on a piece of clear plastic wrap, enclose rice with wrap and squeeze to form a disk; re-shape disk into a triangular; remove rice from plastic wrap and “glue” a strip of nori to the “bottom” of the triangle (trim nori strip with scissors, then hold nori in place for a few seconds) (see video)
8. Sprinkle some rice seasoning on the other 2 sides and serve

Procedure for making stuffed rice balls:

1. Prep strips of nori by cutting sheets into thirds
2. Add about ½ cup cooked rice on a piece of clear plastic wrap, flatten rice
3. Add a small amount of filling in the center; with the help of the plastic wrap, wrap rice around filling and gently form a ball
4. Shape ball into a triangular pyramid, remove from plastic wrap
5. Wrap a strip of nori around 2 sides of the pyramid (leaving the “top” exposed), fold remaining nori under the bottom side of the pyramid (hold nori in place for a few seconds) (see video)
6. Optional: add a tiny amount of the stuffing on top; sprinkle with rice seasoning

Note: Store unused rice in a airtight container and refrigerate or freeze; defrost frozen rice overnight in the refrigerator, microwave to room temperature before using (tip: sprinkle some water on warmed rice and toss gently to help “rejuvenate” the rice and to make it stickier)