Onigiri

Yaki onigiri

If you think that rice can’t be a stand-alone dish, yaki onigiri will change your mind.

And, get this, adding butter to yaki onigiri during the last stage of cooking adds a lovely layer of richess to the rice.

Cook time: 5

Servings: 4 people

Bacon teriyaki rice balls

Sushi rice wrapped in belly bacon, brushed with teriyaki sauce, broiled and garnished with toasted sesame seeds. Inspired by one of the most stunning street food I have ever encountered in Japan.

Cook time: 30

Servings: 8 rice balls

Smoked salmon and furikake onigiri

Chopped smoked salmon, black fungus, furikake and toasted sesame seeds were mixed with Japanese rice to make onigiri. Eat one for a snack; more for a full meal. Smoked salmon and furikake onigiri makes a lovely party dish too!

Cook time: 20

Servings: 16 small onigiri

Bacon and wakame onigiri

Cook Japanese rice the usual way, season a la sushi rice, stir in chopped rehydrated wakame, crispy bacon and toasted sesame seeds, season with a little salt then press into an onigiri molder.

Cook time: 20

Servings: 4 people