August 2009 Recipe

Onigiri (Rice Ball)

Onigiri is a Japanese traditional food. It is easy to make, transport(wrapped in plastic wrap) and easy to eat. When you are busy in the office, you can eat it quickly with one hand.

Ingredients

    Warm boiled rice(leftover）
    Konbu kelp*
    Salt
    Toasted nori seaweed sheets*
    Cold water

Directions

  1. Moisten your hands,and spread a small amount of salt over the palms.

  2. Put about 3 or 4 tablespoons of rice in one hand and flatten it. Put Konbu seaweed in the center. Then add another 3 to 4 tablespoons of rice over the konbu seaweed.


  3. To make a triangle Onigiri, roll the rice counterclockwise in both hands while maintaing the angle of the right palm to form the rice into a triangle.


  4. Wrap the roll with a small strip of nori seaweed sheet.

You can also enjoy a variety of Onigiri by changing their shapes and with different kinds of stuffing. (like we did with our bucky onigiri)

Stuffing Variations

    Salmon, grilled and torn into small pieces
    Cheese
    Pickled plum
    Grilled eel
    Shrimp with mayonnaise

*Nori can be bought almost anywhere, it is the same type of sea weed used to wrap sushi rolls (it is bought in square sheets about 6″x6″. Konbu is a little harder to come by, but you can find it in Asian food markets, our favorite in Madison is the Oriental Shop on Park street.