Author Notes: Onigiri, a Japanese rice ball stuffed with a variety of things, is one of my favorite grab and go meals. During my study abroad trip to Tokyo I ate them for lunch. It was an easy meal to grab from the “conbinis,” or convenience stores, not to mention that at 100 yen a piece an onigiri was friendly to the wallet.
Once I returned Stateside, I couldn’t find onigiri in any convenient place so I decided to make them myself. My favorite flavor of onigiri is salmon, although you can make them with anything from pickled plums, “umeboshi,” to kimchi, to tuna salad. I love the saltiness of the salmon and the seaweed with the tangy rice. Plus, with only 5 ingredients, it’s easy on the budget. —stirfrei
Makes: 8 onigiri
Ingredients
-
2
cups sushi rice
-
4
cups water
-
1
8 oz can Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon
-
1
teaspoon salt
-
2
sheets sushi nori
-
2
teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Directions
- Rinse rice in cold water until water runs clear. Place rice in a rice cooker or pot and cover with 4 cups of water. If cooking in pot, cover and cook over medium low heat until rice is soft. Cool on a sheet tray in refrigerator about one hour. Once cool season rice with rice wine vinegar.
- Wet your hands with cold water. Take the rice and form it into a small ball about 2 inches in diameter. Use the rice to make 8 even balls of rice. Drain the salmon and season with salt. Poke a small hole in the middle of the ball and fill with an ounce of salmon. Cover the hole and continue to shape the rice. If rice starts to stick to your hands rewet your hands with water.
- Cut the nori into thin strips. Some nori come with perforated lines, so use that if applicable. Roll nori strips around the middle of the rice ball. Eat and enjoy.
/862a82fd-5d24-46bb-a259-c9b1ae11d976--IMG_1714.JPG "Salmon Onigiri 2")
