Ingredients
To Cook in the Rice Cooker
- 2 cups (rice measuring cup) short or medium grain white rice
- Water to fill to water level 2 for “WHITE RICE”
For Seasoning Rice
- 1/2 tsp. salt
For Filling
- 2 oz. salmon filet
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 2 umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum)
For Wrap (optional)
- 4 sheets nori seaweed, cut into 4” x 2” each
Directions
- Prepare white rice using the ingredients listed under “To Cook in the Rice Cooker”. For steps to cook “white rice,” see here.
- When rice completes cooking, transfer rice to another bowl, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt and gently fluff with the rice spatula. Set aside.
- Preheat broiler or oven to 450ºF. Place salmon filet on a paper towel and sprinkle sea salt on the surface. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Grill salmon in broiler or oven for 5 minutes or until well done. Transfer cooked salmon to a bowl and remove any bones and skin. Break into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Remove umeboshi pits with a knife or fingers and set aside. Be careful when using a knife.
- Cut and place a plastic wrap about 7 to 8 inches long and place in a small bowl. Add a 1/4 of cooked rice on top of the plastic wrap. Place half amount of salmon from step 4 in the center of the rice. Gather the plastic wrap around the rice and make a triangular rice ball by squeezing your hands together lightly. The rice ball should be firm so it does not fall apart, but the rice should remain fluffy and not smashed.
- Remove the plastic wrap. Take a nori sheet and wrap the bottom of the onigiri. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to make one more salmon onigiri.
- Make two more onigiri using umeboshi.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Bento:
Rice
Pack your ingredients like the cooked salmon and umeboshi in one of the side dish containers; keep the nori in the other one.
Miso soup will stay hot in the sealed soup container and is the perfect complement to your onigiri bento.
Assemble your fresh onigiri—put some rice on your nori, add ingredients and roll it up any way you like; onigiri has no rules!