Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)

Ingredients

• 160 grams Japanese short-grain rice ((1 rice cooker cup or 3/4 US cup))
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon potato starch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cultured unsalted butter
• Shiso leaves (for wrapping)
• Nori sheets (for wrapping)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook rice.: Use the measuring cup and water lines on the cooker bowl to cook 1 rice cooker cup of rice.

2. 2

   Cook rice on stove.: If you're doing it on the stove, wash the 160 grams Japanese short-grain rice in a few changes of water until it runs mostly clear. Drain it in a sieve. Add it to a tall pot along with 1 cup water. Cover the pot with a lid, and then bring the water to a boil over high heat. As soon as it's boiling, turn the heat down as low as it will go. Set a timer for 13 minutes. After the timer goes off, turn the heat off and let it continue steaming for another 10-15 minutes. Do not open the lid at any point during the cooking or steaming process.

3. 3

   Season rice with soy sauce.: Once it's done steaming, pour the 2 tablespoon soy sauce evenly over the rice and use a folding and cutting motion with a spatula or paddle to evenly distribute the soy sauce until it is uniform in color.

4. 4

   Divide.: Level off the top of the mixture and then divide it into thirds like a pizza.

5. 5

   Shape onigiri.: If you're shaping the yaki onigiri by hand, click this link for specific instructions. If you're using an onigiri mold, just get it wet and stuff each mold with a segment of rice. Press the onigiri mold together more than you normally would so that it holds its shape.

6. 6

   Dust with starch.: Put the onigiri on a parchment-lined or plastic wrap-lined tray. Dust each onigiri with a thin coating of the 1 teaspoon potato starch by passing it through a fine-mesh sieve like a tea strainer. Flip the onigiri over and dust the other side. Try not to get starch onto the sides of the onigiri.

7. 7

   Fry onigiri.: Put a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and when it is moderately hot, add about half of the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and arrange the onigiri so they're sitting on a small pool of oil.

8. 8

   Fry until golden.: Fry undisturbed until they're golden brown and crisp on one side (about 7-10 minutes).

9. 9

   Flip over and brown.: Flip them over, and then add a bit more oil to fry the second side until crisp and browned.

10. 10

    Butter onigiri then brown sides.: Finish the Yaki Onigiri off by melting some of the 1 tablespoon cultured unsalted butter directly onto each browned surface of the onigiri and then roll them on their 3 sides to cook any stray starch.

11. 11

    Serve.: Serve the fried rice balls wrapped in Shiso leaves or Nori sheets