SafePlates

Ingredients

• 1 cup (180g) Japanese short-grain rice
• 1 1/4 cups (300ml) water
• 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
• 1 fillet (4 oz/115g) cooked salmon (grilled or baked, skin removed)
• 2 sheets nori (seaweed), cut into strips
• 1/2 cup (75g) edamame (shelled, cooked)
• 1/2 cup (75g) cucumber, sliced
• 1/2 cup (75g) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup (75g) cooked broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce (optional, for dipping)
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.
2. Combine the rice and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it steam for 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
3. While the rice is cooking, grill or bake the salmon fillet until cooked through. Flake the salmon into small pieces and remove any bones.
4. Once the rice is ready, transfer it to a large bowl and let it cool slightly until it is warm but not hot to the touch.
5. Wet your hands with water and sprinkle a little salt on them to prevent sticking. Take about 1/3 cup (60g) of rice and flatten it in your palm.
6. Place a spoonful of flaked salmon in the center of the rice. Mold the rice around the salmon to form a triangle or ball, sealing the filling inside. Repeat to make 3 onigiri.
7. Wrap a strip of nori around each onigiri.
8. Arrange the onigiri, edamame, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli florets in a lunch box or on a plate.
9. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the vegetables if desired. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Tip

For extra flavor, mix a little soy sauce or furikake seasoning into the rice before shaping the onigiri. Pack the lunch box with an ice pack if taking it to go.