Ingredients
| 3 tablespoons rice vinegar | |
| 3 teaspoons caster sugar | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| 2 cups short grain (sushi) rice (I used brown) | |
| 4cm strip of kombu/dried kelp (optional) | |
| 1-2 teaspoons crushed chilli (to taste) | |
| 1 tablespoon mirin | |
| 2 teaspoons miso paste | |
| 250g skin-on salmon | |
| 2 tablespoons peanut oil | |
| 2 teaspoons mayonnaise | |
| 4 teaspoons sesame seeds | |
| 2 tablespoons soy sauce | |
| 1 spring onion, finely sliced | |
| togarashi seasoning, to serve | |
| CABBAGE & SEAWEED SALAD | |
| juice of 1 lemon | |
| 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar | |
| 2 teaspoons caster sugar | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| ¼ green cabbage, finely sliced | |
| ¼ red cabbage, finely sliced | |
| 1 x 5g packet nori snacks |
I have been having a weird craving for onigiri lately… I want to go back to Japan. I love the fact that the onigiri you buy at the 7-Eleven, and stores like that, was just so delicious. The best ones came with the nori separated by the packaging, so it stayed lovely and crisp. I can’t read Japanese so it was always a lucky dip with fillings, but a very happy day when I got a spicy, fishy, mayo one. This is not a traditional onigiri – where the filling would be covered completely with rice in a very neat package – as I like a bit more filling for these versions, so I am okay with a more haphazard shape.
Instructions
| 1. | In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons of the rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons caster sugar and the salt and set aside. |
| 2. | Put the rice into a colander and wash under cold running water, shaking the rice around to ensure it is washed well. |
| 3. | Leave the rice to drain for 30 minutes (this starts the grains absorbing water). |
| 4. | Place the rice in a medium saucepan, add the kombu, if using, and cover with 3 cups of water. |
| 5. | Bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce to a very low simmer, cover and cook without stirring for 10 minutes for white rice and 20 minutes for brown rice. |
| 6. | Take off the heat and leave to rest, covered, for 10 minutes. |
| 7. | Tip the rice into a bowl and remove the kombu. |
| 8. | Pour over the vinegar mixture and fold it through the rice with a wooden spoon, stirring well to increase the stickiness of the rice. Set aside to cool. |
| 9. | In a small bowl stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar along with the chilli, mirin and miso paste, to make a marinade. Stir until smooth. |
| 10. | Remove the skin from the salmon and set aside. |
| 11. | Add the salmon to the marinade and coat well. |
| 12. | Set aside for about 30 minutes. |
| 13. | Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan to medium hot and add the salmon skin, cooking until crisp. Set aside. |
| 14. | Add the salmon to the pan and cook for about 1 minute on each side until just charred. |
| 15. | Set aside to cool slightly. |
| 16. | Slice the salmon and combine with the mayonnaise and a teaspoon or two of the remaining marinade. |
| 17. | Divide the rice into 6 portions. |
| 18. | Take one portion and divide in half. |
| 19. | Using wet hands, press half the portion to a flat round about 10cm diameter (you can use an egg ring or cookie cutter to get perfectly round circles if you like). |
| 20. | Spread over one sixth of the salmon then top with the other half of the rice, pressing down evenly. |
| 21. | Sprinkle with sesame seeds, pressing them into the rice to stick. |
| 22. | Repeat with remaining rice and filling. |
| 23. | Heat the remaining oil in a clean frying pan. |
| 24. | Fry the onigiri for about 5 minutes on each side until nice and golden and crisp, using a pastry brush to brush with soy sauce towards the end of cooking. |
| 25. | Serve topped with the spring onion, crisp salmon skin and a sprinkle of togarashi seasoning along with the cabbage and seaweed salad. |
| 26. | CABBAGE & SEAWEED SALAD |
| 27. | In a bowl, stir together the lemon juice, vinegar, caster sugar and salt then toss through the cabbage. |
| 28. | Set aside for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally to slightly pickle the cabbage. |
| 29. | Just before serving, slice the nori into thin pieces and sprinkle over the salad. |
| 30. | Serve immediately. |
Recipes and food styling Fiona Smith / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Fiona Lascelles
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