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Shiso Goma Shio Onigiri (Shiso Sesame Salt Rice Balls)

  

December 20, 2022

Source:https://www.lafujimama.com/shiso-goma-shio-onigiri/

Ingredients

For the Shiso Goma Shio (Shiso Sesame Salt):

6-10 fresh shiso leaves (use less if the leaves are larger or more if the leaves are smaller)

1/2 cup fine grain sea salt

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (you can use white or black)

For the Onigiri (Rice Balls):

3 cups hot, steamed Japanese rice (often labeled Calrose rice or sushi rice)

1 sheet toasted nori (the type of seaweed used for sushi making)

Directions

To make the Shiso Goma Shio (Shio Sesame Salt):

1Rinse off the shiso leaves in cool water, then gently shake off the excess water. Remove any long stems. Place the leaves on a dehydrator tray in a single layer.

2Dehydrate the leaves at 95 degrees Fahrenehti until they are dry (they will crumble). (Dehydrating time can vary from 1 to 4 hours, depending on how large/thick the leaves are and how humid it is.)

3Put the dried leaves in a mortar and use a pestle to grind them up (or use a food processor). Add 2 tablespoons of the ground dried shiso to a mortar or food processor and add the sea salt and toasted sesame seeds. Grind everything together using a pestle, or pulse everything together in a food processor until everything is evenly distributed.

4Transfer the shiso goma shio to a glass jar and screw on a lid.

To make the Onigiri (Rice Balls):

1Put the 3 cups of hot rice in a bowl and season the rice with the shiso goma shio, to taste. I usually start with a teaspoon, and taste, then add more as needed from there. Everyone will have a different taste preference!

2Line a small bowl with plastic wrap. Divide the rice into 4 portions. Put 1 portion of the rice into the plastic wrap-lined bowl. Gather the ends of the plastic wrap around the rice and twist them tight.

3Shape the rice into a round shape, using gentle pressure to mold the rice, or shape them into triangles. Set the onigiri aside.

4Repeat with the remaining rice. Let the onigiri cool slightly.

5Cut 4 strips that are about 2-inches wide and 4-inches long out of the sheet of nori. Unwrap the onigiri, one at a time, and wrap the nori around one of the edges, then rewrap in the plastic wrap and repeat with the remaining onigiri.

6The onigiri can be unwrapped and served immediately. They can also be kept wrapped and packed in a bento box. The onigiri will keep fresh at room temperature for 6 hours.

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