Kombu Oniguiri
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Serves: 4-6
 
Ingredients
  • 250 gr short grain rice
  • 1 or 2 kombu sheets (10-15 gr total)
  • 250 ml mineral water
  • 1 tablespoon sake
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon panela sugar
  • 1 tablespoon mirin (or dry white wine)
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
  • Sea salt
  • 1 roasted nori sheet
Instructions
  1. To make rice
  2. Rinse well the Kombu sheet. Place it with 250 ml of mineral water in the container that you will use to make the rice: a small-size pot with lid. Let it soak for 10 minutes.
  3. While the kombu is soaking, put the rice on a fine strainer and inside a large bowl several times until the water comes out clear.
  4. Add the rice to the pot where the Kombu algae rehydrates, add a pinch of salt and put it to boil. Cover the pot, place a weight above the lid and lower the heat to a minimum. Cook exactly for 12 minutes. Without uncovering, remove the pot from the fire and let it rest for another 12 minutes. Remove the lid and take out the rice separating the kombu sheet. Place the rice in a large bowl spreading the rice on the walls of the bowl to aerate for 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with a cloth and reserve.
  5. For Kombu Tsukudani
  6. Cut the Kombu sheet cooked with rice in fine strips. (2-3 mm). To do this, roll the sheet and slice it with a very sharp knife.
  7. Put the kombu strips in a pot with 250 ml of water, sake and vinegar.
  8. Put the pot to boil, lower the fire and let it simmer until the water has been reduced by half (about 10 minutes).
  9. Add 1 tablespoon of panela sugar and mix.
  10. Add Mirin and Tamari. Mix well and raise the heat to medium.
  11. Continue cooking until the liquid has been completely reduced, leaving a wet but not dry glaze (be careful with the final reduction to avoid burning the mixture).
  12. Sprinkle ½ tablespoon of sesame seeds and mix well. Reserve.
  13. For the Onigiri
  14. Divide the rice into four or six portions and follow the instructions in the video to form the onigiri. Just before serving them (to avoid softening), place a roasted nori piece in the base.
Culinary Tips
When rehydrating Kombu you can discard the water to reduce the iodine content. This is optional as some of the flavor and other minerals will be lost in the water.

Depending on the size of the rice balls you can make 4-6 onigiris. Watch the video to make them correctly.

Although they can be eaten at room temperature, onigiri should be formed with the rice still warm. It will be easier to form and they will keep compact and not fall apart.
Recipe by The Quotidian Cook at https://www.thequotidiancook.com/en/kombu-oniguiri/