World Flavors Cookbook

Onigiri (Rice Balls)

The quintessential Japanese portable snack — triangular or cylindrical salted rice balls often filled with savory ingredients and wrapped in crisp nori seaweed.

Cuisine: Japan

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice (warm)
• Salt
• 3 sheets Nori seaweed, cut into strips
• Fillings: pickled plum (umeboshi), salted salmon (shake), or tuna mayo

Instructions

1. Wet your hands with water and rub with a pinch of salt to prevent sticking.
2. Place a handful of warm rice in your palm and make a small indentation in the center.
3. Add a teaspoon of filling and cover with more rice.
4. Gently press and rotate the rice into a triangle or ball shape.
5. Wrap the bottom or the whole onigiri with a strip of nori.
6. Serve immediately while nori is crisp, or wrap in plastic for later.