Recipe: Simple yet irresistible salmon onigiri! Japanese rice balls are healthy, filling and a great way to start your day.

Number of steps:  5
Time taken: Less than 10 minutes
Aprrox. 70-140 kcal per onigiri depending on how large you make it.

About This Dish:
History
Japanese rice balls which are called "onigiris" has been and still is a very popular staple food. Every convenience store has them for $1-$1.50 each while there are more premium onigiri stores which sell it for more than $4 per onigiri. The history of onigiri goes back to the Yayoi period (300BC-300AD)! It became a staple food after the war where a majority of the Japanese population started to eat it as a meal though it was only eaten by warriors before. 

Importance
There are so many ways of making onigiris. Extreme people treat it as a piece of art (for example, caring about the way the rice is cooked, which salt to use and to how the rice it touched) but this recipe is for people who eat onigiris casually. The most important thing to remember when making any type of onigiri is to put love and warmth into it when placing the rice into your hands. Onigiri is a comfort food in Japan; it has a sentimental and nostalgic element to it, even reminding many of their mothers or grandmothers. 

What You Need:
(for 4-5 medium sized onigiris)

• 3 cups of cooked rice (I like using brown rice, but any rice is fine!)
• A couple tea spoons of salmon flakes (you can buy them at a Japanese supermarket or easily make it yourself using this recipe)
• Couple sheets of dry seaweed
• Salt
• (Optional) Sesame 
  
  

Related recipes: Japanese tamagoyaki (sweet omelettes), salmon flakes

1. Once your rice is cooked, mix in a little bit of salt! We don't want the rice to be too salty, but keep tasting to reach your preference. I've added sesame seeds and little pieces of seaweed into my rice above.

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4. This is where the love comes in. Start shaping up the onigiri by simply cupping it into your hands. A triangular shape is traditional, but be creative if you like :)

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2. Get a piece of plastic wrap and place a scoop of rice onto it. Flatten it out and create a little concave in the center for the salmon flakes!

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5. Wrap it up with some seaweed and you are done! Put it in the freezer as it is (in the plastic wrap) to keep it delicious and fresh if you are making this ahead of time. Simply microwave the onigiri as is when you are ready to eat it.

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3. Enclose the salmon flakes by holding the sides of the plastic wrap. Twist and close up the plastic.

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Recommended: Eat it with a side of Japanese egg omelettes! The recipe is here!

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