A simple recipe for onigiri, or Japanese rice balls, with salted plums

TOKYO (AP) — Onigiri is a ball of rice with one thing inside, just like how two slices of bread with one thing in between makes a sandwich. In the identical method that virtually each American has made and eaten a sandwich, so too have most Japanese eaten onigiri.

A Tokyo correspondent for The Related Press is sharing her primary onigiri recipe. It makes use of umeboshi (salted Japanese plums), however what you set inside could be absolutely anything — fish, meat, veggies, even cheese — so long as it suits and tastes good. Be happy to experiment.

Form your onigiri into the usual triangular type, or no matter enjoyable picture strikes your fancy. Wrap it with nori (dried seaweed). You should use one massive strip of nori or a number of bite-size items.

There aren’t any mounted guidelines. Some individuals sprinkle their onigiri with sesame seeds. Oboro kombu, or shaved kelp, is one other favourite. Or take pleasure in it plain.

Simple Onigiri, from AP’s Yuri Kageyama

Begin to end: 5-7 minutes

Servings: 5 rice balls (sufficient for 5 individuals, or only one massive eater)

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup water

1 ½ cup Japanese rice, cooked to fluffiness

Three umeboshi salted Japanese plums (out there at Asian meals shops; for smaller umeboshi, use one for every rice ball)

Two sheets of dried nori seaweed

Instructions

Add the salt to the bowl of water. Moist your fingers with the salted water, decide up a handful of cooked rice, nonetheless sizzling however cooled sufficient so your fingers don’t burn. Put umeboshi on prime. Choose up one other scoop of rice together with your different hand, place it on prime of the rice and umeboshi. Cup your fingers collectively, squishing gently. Flip a couple of instances in your fingers so the rice turns into a barely triangular ball. Wrap with nori.

Add any desired garnishes, corresponding to sesame seeds or kombu.