Onigiri

Onigiri is a very popular Japanese food--Rice balls! I really love them so far.
Onigiri is exactly what is sounds like, balls of sticky rice with a filling or stuffing that is usually wrapped in toasted nori sheets (seaweed). My student, Ayako, took me out for onigiri when we went to Shinjuku and last night helped me to buy the ingredients.


Tonight I made onigiri to eat later this week with lunches. They are remarkably easy to make, especially with the great cookbook I bought. Mine are filled with grilled salmon (yes, I am learning to cook fish, too and I did a fine job!) and the heads of buttered asparagus spears. Mmmmm. . .
The onbe on the top is the first one I made, it's kind of falling over, and the stuffing is coming out. Not enough rice, too much filling. As they progress, I think they get better. The last one is the biggest to use the rest of the rice, and needed more nori, so is wrapped all the way around. Both ways of wrapping the nori are common.

Another better view of a single rice ball