Japanese Onigiri Rice Triangles

1. Measure the rice in a medium saucepan. Rinse, stir, and drain it several times. Cover it with plenty of water and allow it to soak for about 40 minutes or until the rice is an opaque white color. Thoroughly drain the rice in a mesh strainer.

2. Return the drained rice to the saucepan. Add water and salt; cover the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the rice for 20 minutes, then remove it from the heat.

3. Leave the pot covered and allow the rice to steam for another 10 minutes to finish the cooking process.

4. Sprinkle in the seaweed and sesame seeds. Stir to combine.

5. When the rice mixture is cool enough to handle, moisten both hands. Spread about 1/2 cup of the rice out on the palm of one hand. Place 1 tablespoon of salmon in the center, and form the rice mixture into a ball around it. Press firmly to stick the rice together. Form it into the traditional triangle shape, flat on both sides, with rounded corners.

6. Using scissors, cut the sheet of nori into strips, 1-inch by 2 1/2-inches each; wrap a strip of nori around one edge of the triangle. Cover or wrap tightly until serving.

Variations and Substitutions

There are a few ways you can mix things up to create customized onigiri rice balls to suit your unique tastes and preferences.

• Short-grain brown rice can be used instead of white sushi rice. Use 1 1/2 cups of brown rice, 2 1/4 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook the rice for 50 minutes, remove from the heat, and steam for 10 more minutes.
• Stuff onigiri with smoked or canned sardines, tuna, herring, trout, or mussels instead of salmon. Instead of fish, you can also stuff the onigiri with pickled low-FODMAP vegetables like carrots or cooked sweet potatoes.
• Shred the fish and stir it into the rice before forming the onigiri. Stir finely chopped or shredded cooked carrots or pickled ginger into the rice before forming the onigiri.
• Use a prepared onigiri seasoning blend or furikake rice seasoning instead of salt, sliced seaweed, and sesame seeds. (Be sure to check the ingredients to make sure that onions, garlic, and lactose are not present as flavorings or sweeteners if you are following a low-FODMAP diet or have an allergy or sensitivity.)

Cooking and Serving Tips

Follow these preparation tips to get the most out of your onigiri rice balls:

• Don't use any other type of rice. Only short grain white rice (sushi rice) or short grain brown rice are sticky enough to make onigiri.
• Start soaking the rice 40 minutes prior to the active preparation time for this recipe.
• The nori on the edge of the onigiri triangles keeps the rice from sticking to your fingers when you eat it.
• Nori may be sold as "roasted seaweed." Look for flat green sheets that look like dark green hand-made paper, with pictures of sushi rolls on the front.
• Onigiri can be formed into any size or shape. Try balls the size of ping-pong balls, omitting the nori wrap.