Onigiri Three Ways (Salmon, Pickled Plum, Seasoned Seaweed)

Ingredients

• •4 cups Japanese short-grain sushi rice, cooked and still warm
• •1 tsp salt (for shaping)
• •8 nori (dried seaweed sheets), cut into 2x4-inch strips
• •100 g canned or pouch salmon, drained and flaked
• •1 tsp soy sauce
• •1 tsp butter
• •4 umeboshi (pickled sour plums), pits removed, roughly chopped
• •2 tbsp seasoned nori (ajitsuke nori) or toasted sesame nori snack sheets, crumbled
• •½ tsp sesame oil
• •1 tbsp mayonnaise

Directions

1. 1Prepare three fillings: toss flaked salmon with soy sauce, butter, and mayonnaise in a small bowl; place chopped umeboshi in a second bowl; mix crumbled seasoned nori with sesame oil in a third bowl.
2. 2Keep cooked rice warm and covered; have a bowl of cold water and a small dish of salt nearby for shaping.
3. 3Wet your hands with cold water and sprinkle lightly with salt to prevent sticking.
4. 4Scoop about ½ cup of warm rice into one hand, make an indentation in the centre, and press a heaped teaspoon of one filling into the hollow.
5. 5Fold rice over the filling and shape into a firm triangle by pressing and rotating between your palms about 6–8 times — it should hold together firmly.
6. 6Repeat with remaining rice and fillings to make approximately 8 onigiri total.
7. 7Wrap one nori strip around the base of each onigiri just before eating — if packing for lunch, wrap separately and add at serving time to keep the nori crisp.
8. 8Arrange on a plate; serve at room temperature within 4 hours of making.

💡 Umeboshi pickled plums are available at T&T Supermarket and most Asian grocery stores in Canada. If you can't find them, substitute a tiny bit of Japanese pickled ginger (gari) with a few drops of rice vinegar. Seasoned nori snack packs (like GimMe brand) sold at Costco and Loblaws are a perfect substitute for ajitsuke nori. Use short-grain sushi rice — long-grain won't hold its shape.

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