お握り Sat. Sep 23rd, 06

I made onigiri (お握り) for the first time today. Onigiri are sometimes called rice balls, even though no one ever seems to make them into balls. I made them the old-fashioned way and probably always will. I sprinkled salt and toasted sesame seeds on my clean, wet hands, took a little more than a fourth of a cup of hot rice and made like I was going to make a hamburger patty, making the rice onto a solid ball. Then, according to the recipe, I made a little hole in it and stuck in the pickled plum. I took a bit more rice, about enough to make the onigiri consist of a half cup, I guess, and covered the umeboshi (pickled plum うめぼし). I then formed that into a triangular shape, using my hands as a mold. After I had all these I wanted, I cut the seaweed (nori のり) into strips and stuck them to the rice. Then I wrapped them in plastic wrap.
Perfect for lunches, as they don’t have to be refrigerated. I can’t explain how much I love the taste. I love it as much as I love really dark chocolate. Enough to shiver a little bit. I think it’s the nori.