ONIGIRI: Adorable Rice Balls (Tuna?)

Rice shaped into a 3d triangle, wrapped in seaweed, filled with a thin layer of whatever you'd like. In this case, tuna, because you can keep your favorite canned version on hand for an easy meal.

*Note: You can basically put whatever you want as long as you can turn it into some semblance close to a rough paste so it holds together. Stick with things that go better with soy sauce rather than say, mediterranean flavors. Though, don't be afraid to experiment however you dare to.

*Note: I've seen ones with a strip of seaweed folded over the bottom (making it look like a little seaweed goatee) as well as ones where the seaweed covers the entire rice ball. Your choice really.

What You'll Need

• Rice

• 2-3 splashes Mirin per cup of rice (sub. white rice vinegar + water + sugar if you don't have mirin. Go 1 to 1 vinegar and water and a pinch or two of sugar)

• Nori (sheets of seaweed)

• Tuna

• Mayo or a light oil (about a spoonful for each can)

• Salt + Pepper

• (optional) green onions, or cilantro if you don't think it tastes like soap

For The Daring (TLDR)

1. Make rice, then loosen and put into bowl and cover to cool

2. Cut nori into workable pieces. Size depends on the style you want

3. Mix your tuna, mayo/oil and seasonings

4. Splash mirin into rice and mix gently

5. Grab a small handful of rice and flatten out a bit, put a half a scoop of your filling mix, top off with another small handful of rice. Press the edges together and form into a 3d triangle

6. Wrap with a piece of nori

More Detailed Instructions

1. Make your rice either in a rice cooker or in a pot. If you don't know how to make rice, look here first

2. Cut your nori. 1.5' x 4' strips for the goatee style or 3' x 5' to cover the whole rice ball

3. Gently loosen the rice once it's done cooking and transfer into a bowl or leave it in the pot but remove from heat. Cover with paper towel or cloth. Try to avoid plastic wrap since condensation will form and fall onto the rice, but if that's all you've got then go for it

4. Mix the tuna, mayo or oil, and seasonings in a separate bowl (and green onions and cilantro)

5. Splash the mirin or vinegar solution onto the rice and mix gently

6. Making the rice balls. You're aiming for the onigiri to be something around the size of a tennis ball. So grab a small handful of rice about half that size and form into a patty, add half a spoon of filling and flatten, then top with another small handful of rice. Seal the edges and gently shape into a thick triangle

7. Hold off on this step until you're about to eat it so the nori doesn't get soggy. Cover with nori. If it's a small strip, just pick a side and place the nori so the length reaches both sides. If it's big enough to cover the entire rice ball then fold it around the entire rice ball

Enjoy your terrible rice balls.

-TC