Onigiri

Gohan

• 2 cups Japanese rice
• 2 ½ cups water

• 200g salmon fillet
• 1 tsp toasted white sesame
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbs sake (optional)
• A pinch of salt
• 1 bowl Japanese cooked rice (Gohan)
• Sheet of nori seaweed paper (cut lengthwise into thirds)
• A piece of Japanese pickled plum (Umeboshi)
• 2 tbs black sesame
• 1 bowl Japanese cooked rice (Gohan)
• Sheet of nori seaweed paper (cut lengthwise into thirds)

Tuna miso mayo Onigiri

• 100g tinned tuna in brine
• 1tbs mayonnaise
• 1tsp miso
• ½ tsp ground Sesame seeds
• 2tbs fine chopped chives
• 1 bowl Japanese cooked rice (Gohan)
• A pinch of salt
• Sheet of nori seaweed paper (cut lengthwise into thirds)
• Toasted sesame seeds

• To prepare the rice, wash thoroughly in a sieve for 2-4 minutes. Constantly turn the rice over until water turns clear.
• Drain the rice and transfer it into a pan with 2 ½ cups of water. Leave it stand for 30 minutes in cold water. For best results, leave it for 1-2 hours.
• Bring to the boil for 1 minute, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 12 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and let it stand with the lid on for 5 minutes.
• Mix gently with a spatula or Japanese wooden spoon ‘Shamoji’ and serve into the rice bowl.
• To poach salmon, sprinkle salt on salmon fillet.
• In a shallow pan, bring 2 cups of water to the boil.
• Place the salmon into the pan and add in a splash of sake. Cover with the lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes until completely cooked.
• Remove from the pan and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Flake the salmon with a fork.
• In a bowl, mix together 2 tbs of salmon flakes, sesame seeds and ¼ cup of cooked Japanese rice. This makes your salmon rice.
• For a vegetarian/ vegan option: in a bowl, mix together a ¼ cup of cooked Japanese rice, black sesame seeds and a pinch of salt.
• The umeboshi will be in the centre of the onigiri.
• Drain the brine from the tuna.
• In a bowl, mix together the tuna, mayo, miso and ground sesame seeds. The tuna mayo will be placed in the centre of the onigiri.
• In another bowl, mix together a ¼ cup of cooked Japanese rice, chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
• Cut a full sized sheet of Nori seaweed paper into thirds, lengthwise.
• Wet both of your hands with water to avoid rice sticking to your hands.
• Put a pinch of salt in your palms. Spread and rub around.
• Place a handful of cooked flavoured rice (salmon, black sesame seed or chives) into one hand and push the centre to create a small well for your choice of filling. (Skip this method for salmon onigiri)
• Put an umeboshi or teaspoon of the tuna mayo the centre of the rice.
• Mould the rice with your hands around the centre to cover your filling completely.
• Gradually mould into a triangular shape.
• Wrap the nori strip around the onigiri.

Plating and Serving

• Garnish the onigiri with leftover filling.