Onigiri

Directions

1. Cook the rice with salt, without frying it first. If you are using short-grain rice, you don’t have to use so much water. If you’re using regular rice, boil it with about 4 cups of water.
2. Chop the cabbage finely and stir fry with sesame oil, garlic and soy sauce.
3. Cover a small bowl with plastic wrap (Lolo suggests using a small bowl, the size of a cup. I used a bigger one, so I ended up with huge rice balls) and sprinkle some water.
4. Cover the sides and the bottom with rice, leaving room for the filling. Add a couple of tablespoons of cabbage (for my big balls, I used 3 tablespoons) and cover with more rice.
5. Lift the plastic wrap and gently mold the rice until reaching the desired shape. Careful not to burn yourself! I made the most traditional shapes, which are triangular and circular. As soon as the onigiri reaches the shape you want, remove the plastic wrap and with moist hands, make the rice smooth.
6. Garnish with a moist stripe of nori (optional), sprinkling a bit more water after it touches the rice. If you prefer, take the rice ball do a pan and let each side turn golden, flipping carefully. Add some more soy sauce and let it cook a bit more. Serve like that or sprinkle some sesame seeds.