Veggie Onigiri

Ingredients for 12 servings:

• 250 g sushi rice
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 shot of sake
• 1 small broccoli
• 1 handful of corn
• 1 handful of Gouda, grated
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 1 cucumber(s)
• 1 avocado(s)
• 1 sheet of nori

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes

vegetarian onigiri with various fillings

Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions, e.g., bring to a boil, simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, cover, remove from the heat, and let simmer for 10 minutes. While the sushi rice is cooking, prepare the broccoli so it has time to cool. Peel the avocado and cut into small pieces. Peel the cucumber and cut into small cubes. Mix the salt, sugar, and sake in a cold bowl (metal, unpainted wood, or stone), then add the sushi rice. Let the sushi rice cool, e.g., place the rice in a bowl of cold water or in the refrigerator, stirring frequently to help it cool down faster. Flatten a teaspoonful of cooled sushi rice in your hand, then add any of the cold ingredients: – a level teaspoon of cream cheese and three small pieces of avocado – some cream cheese with a few cubes of cucumber – some corn with Gouda – a few florets of broccoli with some cream cheese. Then flatten a small amount of rice in your other hand and place it on top to seal the onigiri. Both the corn and broccoli fillings are quite messy, so it’s best not to seal the onigiri, but to mix the sushi rice with the filling in your hand. It’s also best to have the cucumber and Philadelphia rolls already mixed in a bowl; this makes preparation easier. Press the onigiri into small shapes (traditionally triangular) and press a thumb-sized piece of nori sheet onto one side. This is mainly to keep your fingers from getting dirty while eating.