Omusubi (Rice Balls)

• active time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 cup sushi rice

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 can albacore tuna in water, drained

2 green onion, finely chopped

4 Tbsp mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Hot sauce, Gochujang works well, but we've also used Frank's

1 Tbsp soy sauce

4 sheet nori

1 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

Make the sushi rice according to package instructions. If not provided, add the rice to a saucepan and rinse with cold water and drain by tilting the pan sideways. Continue to rinse until the water running out is clear and less starchy, about 5-6 times. Add enough water to cover the rice plus about 1 inch above. Heat over medium high with a lid slightly ajar until there is no more water and the rice is soft. Immediately remove from the heat and place the lid on the pan to continue steaming.

Once the rice has been sitting and steaming for about 5 minutes, open the lid and pour in the rice wine vinegar. Stir very gently with a rice paddle with a chopping and folding motion. Do not mash the rice. If you over stir, the rice will be very sticky and difficult to work with. Leave the cover off and let it cool until you will be able to handle the rice with your hands. You can place the saucepan in the fridge to speed up the process slightly.

While the rice cools, make the tuna mixture. Combine the tuna, green onion, mayonnaise, hot sauce, and soy sauce and mix.

Cut the nori sheets into strips about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Once the rice is cool enough to handle, make the rice balls. Wet your hands and use a rice paddle to scoop enough rice to fill your hand. Use both hands to flatten out the rice. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of tuna mixture into the middle of the rice. Add more rice on top to cover the tuna entirely. Using your hands, compress and shape the rice ball into a triangle shape. Place one side of the triangle on the middle of a strip of nori and fold it around the sides to make a "handle". Repeat this until you run out of rice, tuna mixture, or appetite.

Top each rice ball with sesame seeds and a tiny dab of the tuna mixture.