With the release of the Nintendo Switch game, “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (TOTK)”, the latest in the Zelda series, Nintendo brought back the cooking mechanic and made it better than ever.
To commemorate the game’s recent release, I have prepared a recipe for one of the game’s most versatile dishes — rice balls. Also known as onigiri, rice balls are an energizing and heart-healthy treat.
This recipe makes up to 12 rice balls, enough to share with friends or family. The ingredients you will need are 2 cups of uncooked short-grain Japanese rice, 2 ½ cups of water, 4 sheets of nori seaweed, 8-12 tbsp of your desired filling, kosher salt and sesame seeds for a garnish if you would like. All these ingredients can be found at Whole Foods Market, located across the street from Oakland University.
To begin, submerge your rice in a bowl with water, and gently stir the rice with your hands before pouring out the water. Repeat 3-4 times to ensure your rice is thoroughly washed. Next, let your clean rice soak in water for 30 minutes.
While your rice soaks, take 4 of your nori seaweed sheets and cut them into thirds. Prepare your desired filling at this time.
Once your rice has soaked for 30 minutes, carefully pour your rice into a strainer or sieve, and let it sit for at least 15 minutes.
Next, cook your rice by placing your rice and 2 ½ cups of water into a cooking pot with a lid. Cover your pot and put it on the stove at medium heat until the water boils. Bring your heat down to the lowest setting once the water boils and continue to cook until the water is absorbed. This process should take approximately 12 minutes.
Once the water is gone, remove the pot from the heat and continue to steam for 10 minutes with the lid on. Place your rice in a large bowl and allow the rice to cool down until it is warm enough to touch semi-comfortably — however, do not allow the rice to fully cool before adding your filling.
Onigiri is typically filled with fish, meat, or vegetables. Baked salmon is a traditional filling, but tuna mixed with mayonnaise can serve as a cost-effective alternative. Shredded beef and chicken are also popular options.
If you prefer to fill your onigiri with vegetables, purchase your produce from Oakland University’s Student Organic Farm. The farm sells fresh produce sourced directly from OU’s campus at an affordable price.
Now it is time to form your rice balls. First, wet both hands with water to avoid your rice sticking to you. Then, spread a pinch of kosher salt on your hands.
Take a handful or ¼ cup of rice into one hand and make an indent in the middle of your pile of rice. Take 2 tsp – 1 tbsp of your desired filling inside your indent.
Scoop another ¼ cup of rice and cover the filling completely. Using your hands, carefully mold the rice ball into a compact triangle shape.
Take your strips of nori seaweed and place your rice triangle in the middle of your nori so the ends are popping out from the sides of your triangle. Fold the ends of the seaweed over and around the front of your rice ball.
“Making onigiri feels great,” Sophia Vecchi said. “I believe creating onigiri step-by-step makes you better appreciate the food you eat.”
According to Sophia, it is important to trust the process with this recipe. The delicious onigiri is well worth the effort.
