Onigiri - Japanese Rice Balls (おにぎり)

In a small bowl, add dried bonito flakes and soy sauce. Stir until the bonito flakes absorb all the soy sauce. Set aside.

to 400ºF.

Sprinkle salt on both sides of the salmon filet and transfer to a cooking tray covered with parchment paper. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

Flake the cooked salmon with chopsticks or a fork and set aside.

In a small pan over medium heat, add mushrooms, soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Cook until the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid (about 1-2 minutes).

Turn the heat off and transfer to a bowl. Let cool to room temperature and mix in scallions. Set aside.

Grab a sheet of nori (dried seaweed sheet) and cut it into thirds. Set aside.

Wet your hands with water before handling the rice. This is to prevent the rice grains from sticking to your hands.

Scoop between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of rice into the palm of your wet hand. Create a small indentation in the center of the rice by pressing with your thumb.

Add about 1/2 tablespoon of filling to the center indentation and press gently.

Shape the rice between your palms into round or triangular shapes by gently pressing. Don’t press too hard (but hard enough that the rice can hold a shape).

Sprinkle a little kosher salt around the exterior of the onigiri. Grab a piece of nori and wrap it around the onigiri, like you’d wrap yourself in a blanket.

Set the finished onigiri on a plate and repeat the same steps until all the rice is used. Serve hot or at room temp.

Sprinkle desired amount of furikake seasoning on the cooked rice and mix well. Shape rice into triangles or balls and serve.