Onigiri

Japanese rice balls made from freshly cooked short-grain rice, shaped into triangles with a little salt and wrapped in nori.

• 360 g Japanese short-grain rice, uncooked
• 4 dl water
• Salt
• 3 sheets nori
• 6 umeboshi or about 2 tbsp of another salty filling

Method

1. 1
   Rinse the rice until the water is almost clear and cook it according to the instructions for Japanese short-grain rice. Let it cool slightly, but shape the onigiri while the rice is still warm.
2. 2
   Cut the nori sheets into strips or thirds depending on how you want to wrap the rice balls.
3. 3
   Lightly wet your hands and rub a little salt over your palms. Put about 1 dl of warm rice in one hand and make a small hollow in the centre.
4. 4
   Add an umeboshi or a little filling, cover with a bit more rice, and gently shape into a triangle without pressing too hard. Repeat with the remaining rice.
5. 5
   Wrap each onigiri with nori and serve warm or at room temperature.