Penguin Onigiri

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 cup rice pudding or sushi rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• some salt
• 1 package of nori sheets
• some corn kernels from which can

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

Eye-catcher, great for bento or picnic.

Bring the rice and water to a boil, then simmer on low heat until the water runs out. Remove the lid and let the rice cool slightly. Season with a little salt and vinegar. Stir. Let the rice cool. Carefully fold the nori in half. Cut out a semicircle with scissors. Hollow out the semicircle with another semicircle, leaving an extra notch at the top and bulges (wings) approximately in the middle. Unfold the nori circle and place it in the center of a piece of plastic wrap. Place 1-2 spoonfuls of rice on top. Make sure the rice doesn’t extend beyond the edge of the nori circle. Pull the plastic wrap up on all sides and twist it together. Carefully shape it (= adjust it to the nori piece). Remove the rice ball, turn it over, and place a piece of rounded nori on the back of the ball. Wrap it in the plastic wrap again, tighten it, and shape it. The circle may need to be trimmed a little to make it fit. For the face, use a hole punch to cut two eyes out of the nori. Attach them with a toothpick or by hand. Further down, press in a corn kernel for the beak. I made 6 onigiri, but this depends largely on the size of the rice balls and the size of the nori sheet.