Onigiri with Sardines - Recipe Testing Day

Some days we show up messy, we fall apart even, but we are going to keep showing up. Much like writing, recipes involve rewriting. Writing teaches us that nothing meaningful arrives fully formed. Cooking is no different. Recipes are drafts too. Here’s how my recipe for Onigiri with Sardines is progressing.

Sometimes we show up messy. Show up, anyway.

Try, try again until you get the desired shape

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup dry Sushi rice, short grain*

• 1.5 cups water to steam the rice

• 1 can sardines

• Squeeze of Kewpie mayo

• Sriracha

• Soy sauce

• Nori sheets

Steam the rice:

• In a pot of water, add the rice and water

• Stir to loosen

• Turn the stove on high and cover

• When the water comes to a boil, turn the heat to low

• Simmer for 20-25 minutes (set a timer!)

For one serving, I use two pieces of sardines. This is only an approximation, use more if you want.

• Add a squeeze of Kewpie mayo and soy sauce

• A squeeze of Sriracha is optional

Assemble

• When the rice is cooked, add a scoop/scoop and a half on to a plate

• Add a spoonful of the mashed sardines mixture in the center

• Cover with more rice

  
  

Now, I’m not using plastic wrap for this next part. Go wash your hands (again)

• Ball up the rice and sardine filling in your hands, packing everything tightly

• Start shaping it into a ball

• You could stop here, like I did, or shape it into a triangle

• Take a sheet of nori and wrap the bottom

Changed my mind and tried to form it into a triangle