Aumeboshi Recipe

Inspired by KUKAI

Time40m

Serves6

Make Aumeboshi Recipe in just 40m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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1
Pit the umeboshi
Place one umeboshi on a small cutting board. Hold it with a fork or chopstick and use the tip of a small knife to split the fruit open along one side; remove and discard the pit. Repeat for all umeboshi until you have only the flesh.
2
Mash the umeboshi
Put the pitted umeboshi flesh into a small bowl. Use the back of a spoon or a fork to mash the flesh into a coarse paste. You should have a spreadable, slightly chunky mixture. Taste — it will be quite salty and tangy, which is normal for umeboshi fillings.
3
Mix in shiso
Finely slice the shiso leaves (stack leaves, roll and thinly slice). Add the sliced shiso to the mashed umeboshi and stir until evenly distributed. Set the filling aside in a small covered bowl until ready to assemble.

4
Prepare rice and workstation
Have 3 cups warm cooked short-grain rice in a bowl. Keep a small bowl of cold water nearby and a little plate with the fine sea salt. Wet your hands lightly with the cold water to prevent sticking.
5
Salt your hands
Sprinkle about 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of the fine sea salt on one palm and rub both palms together so the salt is evenly distributed; this seasons the outside of the onigiri as you shape it.
6
Portion rice
With wet, salted hands, scoop approximately 1/2 cup of warm rice and gently flatten it in your palm into a small disk about 3 inches across, leaving a slight hollow in the center for the filling.
7
Add filling
Place about 1 tablespoon of the umeboshi & shiso filling into the hollow of the rice disk. Be careful not to overfill; 1 Tbsp gives a balanced flavor without breaking the rice seal.
8
Enclose and shape
Pull the rice edges up and around the filling, sealing it completely. Cup the rice in both hands and press gently but firmly into a triangular or cylindrical onigiri shape: press twice on two sides and once on the base to form a triangle, or roll lightly for a cylinder. Avoid squeezing so hard that the grains become paste-like; the onigiri should hold its shape.
9
Repeat
Repeat portioning, filling and shaping until you have about six onigiri (using roughly 1/2 cup rice and 1 Tbsp filling per onigiri). Re-wet and re-salt hands as needed to keep rice from sticking.

10
Cut nori
Cut each toasted nori sheet into two strips lengthwise (each sheet yields two strips). For a clean wrap, use one strip per onigiri or wrap corners with one wide strip if preferred.
11
Wrap or decorate
Place a nori strip around the base or across the center of each onigiri. If you prefer the nori to stay crisp, wrap right before serving. For an alternative finish, sprinkle the outside of each onigiri with a pinch of toasted sesame seeds or a light dusting of furikake.
12
Serve or store
Serve immediately at room temperature, or wrap individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving for best texture; reapply nori just before eating if you want it crisp.