Japanese Rice Balls Recipes

Steps:

• Wash the rice in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Combine washed rice and 4 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer rice until the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rice rest, for 15 minutes to allow the rice to continue to steam and become tender. Allow cooked rice to cool.
• Combine 1 cup water with the salt in a small bowl. Use this water to dampen hands before handling the rice. Divide the cooked rice into 8 equal portions. Use one portion of rice for each onigiri.
• Divide one portion of rice in two. Create a dimple in the rice and fill with a heaping teaspoon of bonito flakes. Cover with the remaining portion of rice and press lightly to enclose filling inside rice ball. Gently press the rice to shape into a triangle. Wrap shaped onigiri with a strip of nori. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat to make a total of 8 onigiri.

Steps:

• Form the rice into four disk shapes. This is a lot easier if you keep a bowl of cool salt water next to you to dip your hands into before forming each ball.
• Combine the miso with 1/2 t. of the sake and set aside. Combine the soy sauce with the rest of the sake and set aside.
• Brush one side of each onigiri with oil and place oil side down in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brush the other side of the onigiri with oil.
• Once the first side has started turning golden, turn onigiri over. Brush miso mixture on two of the onigiri and the soy sauce mixture on the other two.
• When the second side has started turning golden, turn over again so that the first side (with miso or soy mix) is down on the pan. Brush the second side with miso and soy sauce mixtures (making sure the sides match).
• When the first side has browned well (kind of a caramel color for the soy sauce ones), turn and let the second side brown.

Steps:

• Pour rice into a bowl and rinse under running water. Give it a good scrubbing with your hands; rinse off the starch and drain.
• Place rice in a small pot with water and salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn the burner to high. Cook for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit with the lid on to fully absorb the moisture for 10 minutes. Transfer rice to a cutting board to cool slightly.
• Season flaked salmon with soy sauce.
• Flatten cooled rice into a rectangle and divide into 6 portions. Place a portion of salmon on top of each section of rice. Wet your hands and pick up a section of rice. Gently cup the rice around the filling; keep cupping until filling is completely covered and you've formed a ball. Mold the rice ball into a triangle shape by placing the bottom on one palm and flattening the back with your fingers. Bend the other hand and press the rice into a triangle on your palm, flattening the front side if needed. Place a strip of nori on the bottom of the onigiri to make it easier to pick up.
• Repeat to make remaining rice balls, wetting your hands as necessary to prevent the rice from sticking.

Steps:

• Cook the rice.
• Keep it warm, but let it cool enough so that it won't burn your hands.
• Cut each nori sheet into 9 strips.
• Wet your hands and sprinkle them with salt to prevent the rice from sticking to them.
• Mold a handful of rice into a triangular shape with an indentation in the middle.
• Press a piece of umeboshi into the indentation you left.
• Wrap the rice and umeboshi in Nori strips.
• Serve immediately or save for later.