Onigiri I

Japanese Rice Balls (Onigiri) 4 c med grain rice 1 env bonito shavings 5 seasoned plums (umeboshi) 4 oz salmon 2 sheets nori (seaweed wrappers) 2 tsps. salt Rinse salmon and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt. Place on a rack over a cookie sheet or small dish and bake in 400 oven for an hour to dry it out. Cook rice according to package directions (i.e. without adding fat) so that it's sticky. Prepare three bowls. When salmon is done, ground the fillet up into small pieces with a fork or mortar and pestle and place in the first bowl. Mash seasoned plums with a fork and place in second bowl. Empty contents of one small bonito shaving envelope into the third bowl. Divide rice into three portions, and add one portion to each bowl. Mix lightly to combine with seasoning ingredient. Wet hands slightly. Dip one finger tip into leftover salt and smear the salt so that sticks on both hands. Take 1/4 of rice mixture from first bowl. Form into a ball. Make it compact, but not so much that the grains of rice become mush. Form into a triangle, square, or cylinder. Repeat for the remaining rice. Each seasoning bowl should yield four rice balls, for a total of twelve. Place each one on a piece of parchment paper to keep them from sticking. Cut each sheet of nori into three strips lengthwise. Then cut each strip in half. Wrap one small strip of nori around the bottom of each rice ball to form an envelope to hold it with. Serve immediately. If you won't be serving immediately, wait to wrap the rice in the nori, as it will absorb water from the rice and lose its crunch. Instead, wrap tightly and refrigerate. Let the rice balls come to room temperature before serving. Serves 12.

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