Nori Rice Balls

These rice balls are a stripped-down take on Japanese onigiri, wrapped in nori seaweed with steamed carrot sticks and a dab of umeboshi (pickled plum paste) tucked inside.

Umeboshi is the flavor bomb here. It’s intensely salty, sour, and fruity all at once. A small amount goes a long way. That single dab in the center of each rice ball gives you a sharp, tangy burst that wakes up the mild brown rice around it.

Let the rice cool to room temperature before shaping. Hot rice will make the nori go limp and soggy immediately. Room temperature rice is sticky enough to hold its shape but cool enough to keep the seaweed wrapper crisp.

The ginger-soy dipping sauce is just grated fresh ginger stirred into soy sauce. Simple, clean, and exactly right for these.

Chef Tips

• Wet your hands before shaping the rice balls. It prevents sticking and makes forming them much easier.
• Steam the carrot matchsticks just until they bend slightly. You want some crunch left for texture contrast.
• If you can’t find umeboshi paste, pickled plum (the whole fruit, pitted and mashed) works just as well.
• Pack these for lunch or bento boxes. They hold up well at room temperature for several hours.

Variations

• Fill with a strip of avocado instead of carrot for a creamier center.
• Use seasoned sushi rice (white rice with rice vinegar and sugar) for a more traditional Japanese flavor.
• Add a sliver of pickled ginger inside each ball for extra zing.