Onigiri

Step 1

Wash and cook the rice in a rice cooker as you normally would, or if you are doing it on the stove, you can follow the instructions on my sushi rice recipe (but be sure to use the amount of rice and water specified above).

Step 2

While you're waiting for the rice to cook and steam, remove the pits from the umeboshi.

Step 3

Cut the sheets of nori into thirds by either using scissors or creasing and tearing the nori.

Step 4

Prepare a medium bowl of water and a small bowl of salt.

Step 5

When the rice is done, fluff it with a spatula and transfer it to a bowl to cool. Keep the bowl covered with a damp towel to keep the rice from drying out.

Step 6

When the rice has cooled enough to handle without burning yourself, wet your hands in the bowl of water and dip your index finger into the bowl of salt.

Step 7

Rub the salt into both hands and then scoop 1/6 of the rice into one hand. Press one pitted umeboshi into the center of the mound of rice and cover it with the surrounding rice.

Step 8

Curl your fingers up and over the rice, and then use your index and middle fingers on your free hand to shape the rice into a triangle, but do not over squeeze the rice.

Step 9

Roll the rice ball on your hand onto another side and repeat until the triangle has equal length sides, and it's roughly the same thickness.

Step 10

To wrap the onigiri, place a strip of nori centered on the rice and then wrap each side of the nori around the triangle and under the base.

Step 11

Garnish the top of the onigiri with a little dab of umeboshi so you can identify what's inside.