Salted Japanese Rice Ball

Equipment

• Zojirushi Rice Cooker

Ingredients

• 700 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice 
• 1/2 tbsp salt
• 3 sheets roasted seaweed for sushi (nori) nori, cut into strips
• 1 bowl ice cold water

Instructions 

1. Set up a bowl of ice water, 1/2 tbsp salt and 700 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly and then submerge them into the bowl of icy cold water for about 15-20 seconds. This will stop the rice sticking to your hands.
3. Rub 1-2 pinches of salt over the palms your hands. This not only adds the flavour to the rice ball, but also helps preserve the rice.
4. Take a handful of warm cooked rice and pressing the edges while turning to form a triangle shape. My technique is “press and turn” until the onigiri becomes a firm triangle shape. (Don’t handle the rice for too long, quicker is better.)
5. Repeat until you’ve used up your rice (you should be able to make 5-6 rice balls) and then wrap each onigiri with nori.
6. Eat straight away or put in your lunch box with an ice pack. Best eaten the same day.
7. Enjoy!