Couscous Onigiri Recipes

COUSCOUS ONIGIRI

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave one minute, stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds to one minute, until soy milk starts foaming.
• Remove from microwave and let cool. Press into onigiri molds and place in fridge for one hour. Gently remove from the molds. Done!
• I made these the night before, and they kept their shape overnight and had a wonderful, soft texture when eaten cold the next day.
• NOTE 1: You can vary the flavours significantly by using different types of soy or rice milk, and bu changing the seasoning a little. I made these with vanilla soy milk and cinnamon, but you could use other flavours too.
• NOTE 2: If you do not have onigiri molds, you can use small plastic containers to shape the onigiri, or you can improvise a mold using a cookie cutter, in this fashion:.
• Place the cookie cutters on a plate. Press the couscous into them as you would for a mold, packing the mixture very tightly. Cover the plate with plastic wrap or with a dish cover. Refrigerate as you would for a mold, and proceed as above.

CHEESE STICK ONIGIRI

Steps:

• Prep: Begin by cooking the rice until tender and fluffy. Do not rinse the rice of its starches before cooking because you want the starch to act as a sticking agent later.
• While the rice is cooking, mix the salt and the warm water into a bowl until dissolved. Taste to test saltiness, add more salt if needed. Set aside.
• Next, add together the Soy Sauce, Mirin, and the sugar cube into another bowl.
• Take the cheese stick and chop finely. Then take 1/4 of the pieces and squish into a small ball with your hands. Make 4 balls total and place them into the Soy Sauce mixture.
• When the rice is done place into a large bowl. Fluff the rice until it is hot, but not scorching. (You don't want to burn yourself!).
• Making the Onigiri: First, dip your clean hands (I suggest removing all jewelry) into the bowl of warm saltwater.
• Take a portion of the rice and spread it onto the palm of your hand. Make a small depression in the middle.
• Place one cheese ball into the depression and close the rice layer on top of itself, adding more rice from the bowl to help seal the cheese inches.
• Repeat above steps. If you find that the rice is sticking to your hands, just rewet them in the saltwater.
• Eat warm, or pack them in your bag as a snack for later!

BASIC ONIGIRI

Steps:

• Let rice cool to where you aren't burning your hands when you handle it.
• Wash hands!
• Rinse hands and leave wet, and rub palms with salt.
• Take a handful of rice and ball with hands, using palm of left hand to form the base, and the palm and fingers of your right hand to form the two sides of a triangle.
• Toss and rotate so that the side that was on your left palm is now rotated to one of the sides on your right hand.
• Repeat until you have a nice triangle shape.
• Repeat starting with rinsing hands and salting hands.
• Wet hands do not stick to rice, which makes shaping the rice much easier.
• The salt adds flavor and helps to sterilize any bacteria.
• Consistency is key with the shapes and size, this will come with practice!
• Now that you have a basic rice ball, you can flavor with any of the optional ingredients or a mix: Sushi Nori- Simply wrap a piece of sushi nori around the rice ball.
• This is a very basic rice ball, and is seen in many boxed lunches.
• Classic!
• Chinese 5 Spice- I will often add a dash of 5 spice to the salt I'm using to add aroma and taste.
• Don't over do it, 5 spice becomes bitter if used excessively!
• Toasted Sesame Seeds- Sprinkle on top for aroma and taste.
• Can also use prepackaged Japanese rice dressing, sold in glass bottles to be shaken over rice for flavor.
• Ume-boshi or cooked fish- In one of the two flat sides of the onigiri, press a divot into it with a finger, and fill with the desired stuffing.
• Leave open or cover with a strip of sushi nori- not the ume boshi though!
• You don't want to choke on the seed if you didn't know it was there!

RODY'S FRIED ONIGIRI

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Mix egg into cooled, cooked rice until well-combined.
• Take a spoonful of rice mixture and roll into a ball shape.
• Press a hole into the middle of the ball and add fish.
• Cover hole with more rice mixture and roll until uniformly round.
• Place ball into heated oil and fry on each side until golden brown.
• Set aside on paper towels to cool slightly.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper (if desired).
• Wrap rice balls with nori.
• Serve and enjoy!