A simple but delectable sushi rice ball recipe that uses our Wakame and also Furikake or Chilli Kelp. It's a hit with all members of my family so here it is!
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked sushi rice
5g Dried Wakame
3 tablespoons Furikake (or Chilli Kelp)
Vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon for rice mix and 1/2 tablespoon for flash frying Wakame
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt (or our Kelp Salt if handy)
Method:
1. Thoroughly rinse (multiple times) 2 cups sushi rice and get it cooking.
2. Break up or chop up some Dried Wakame and flash fry it with 1/2 a tablespoon of vegetable oil on a med - hot pan for no more than a minute - stirring constantly. Place on paper towel and set aside. (You now have outrageously delicious umami chips that many gun chefs prepare like this).
3. In a small saucepan combine the vegetable oil (1 tbs), vinegar, sugar and salt and heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then stir this throughly thru the cooked rice (once the rice has cooled down) before mixing the fried Wakame through. The mix may seem wet initially but will dry out as the rice cools further and with more stirring.
4. Pour the Furikake (or Chilli Kelp) out onto a plate.
5. Wet hands with cold water then start forming your small rice balls (really whatever size you like) before rolling / coating in Frikake or Chilli Kelp.
I normally get around 30 x lovely rice balls that are about 3cm in diameter. You can cover the balls and pop them in the fridge for later.
Note wetting your hands throughout the ball-forming stage helps avoid much swearing and getting into a sticky mess.