Onigiri (rice balls)

PREP 30 minutes

COOK 20 minutes

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• Freshly boiled rice
• Choice of filling (if using) such as okobu, okaka or umeboshi
• Sheets of nori cut to desired size (generally divide a sheet first in the middle and then each half into 3 pieces to get 6 pieces per sheet)
• Salt

METHOD

Onigiri without filling

1. Add a portion of rice to a rice bowl – I usually use about a handful. (Freshly cooked rice is very hot, but if you can stand it, it always makes a nice, airy ball).
2. Shake the bowl gently until the rice begins to form and hold together in the bowl. Moisten one hand with cold water and sprinkle a little fine salt into your palm.
3. Turn the rice out onto your hand and gently press into a triangle shape. Don’t press too hard – the rice grains on the surface should still be intact.
4. Take a piece of nori and wrap it around the rice ball. You have now made a simple shio-nigiri.

Onigiri with filling

1. Add a portion of rice to a rice bowl – I usually use about a handful. (Freshly cooked rice is very hot, but if you can stand it, it always makes a nice, airy ball).
2. Shake the bowl gently until the rice begins to form and hold together in the bowl. Make a small hole with your thumb in the middle of the rice, add your filling and cover with a little more rice. Moisten one hand with cold water and sprinkle a little fine salt into your palm.
3. Turn the rice out onto your hand and gently press into a triangle shape. Don’t press too hard – the rice grains on the surface should still be intact.
4. Take a piece of nori and wrap it around the rice ball. You have now made a filled nigiri. If you like, you can top it with a little extra filling.