Onigiri

1. 1

   Work with wet hands while the rice is still hot (or at least warm).

2. 2

   Form 8 balls by cupping the rice gently between your hands.

3. 3

   Brush each ball lightly with soy sauce, using about half the soy for this purpose.

4. 4

   Brush each of the nori sheets with a little of the remaining soy sauce, then cut each piece in half (done most easily with scissors).

5. 5

   Wrap each ball with a piece of nori, shiny side out.

6. 6

   Serve within a few hours.

7. 7

   Sprinkle the balls with toasted sesame seeds (page 596) before wrapping.

8. 8

   Enclose any of the following in the rice balls: dried bonito flakes, lightly doused with soy sauce, about 1 tablespoon per ball; pitted pickled plums (umeboshi), 1 per ball; a small piece of cooked fish, preferably salmon grilled with soy sauce.

9. 9

   Smear each of the rice balls with a bit of miso, thinned slightly with soy sauce, in place of the soy sauce alone.

No additional tips available.