Onigiri

• servings: 6 servings
• total time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

3 cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (such as Koshihikari)

3 cups water

1 tablespoon furikake, divided

6 pitted and quartered umeboshi (pickled plums), divided

Directions

Place rice in a large bowl; add cold water to cover. Wash rice, agitating the grains using your hand, 10 to 15 seconds. Drain and repeat 4 to 5 times until water is mostly clear. Drain well; rinse in a fine wire-mesh strainer, 10 to 15 seconds. Drain completely. Combine rice and 3 cups water in a 4-quart saucepan; let rice soak, uncovered, at room temperature until grains are plump and opaque, about 30 minutes.

Bring rice and soaking water to a simmer, uncovered, over medium-high. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; reduce heat to low, and cook, undisturbed, 13 minutes. Remove from heat; let rice steam, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff rice with a fork.

Stir together 1 cup warm cooked rice and 1/2 teaspoon furikake in a small bowl using a fork. Shape seasoned rice into a lightly packed ball using dampened hands. (Alternatively, swirl bowl in a circular motion on a flat surface until rice forms a loose ball.) Press four umeboshi pieces into rice ball, and cover with rice. Using your hands, gently shape rice ball to form a 2-inch-tall rounded pyramid shape. Repeat with remaining 5 cups cooked rice, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons furikake, and remaining umeboshi pieces. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition

• Calories: 858 kcal
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 322 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 189 g
• Dietary Fiber: 10 g
• Total Sugars: 47 g
• Protein: 17 g