Don't know about you, but some days I like to create dishes for myself and my loved ones that are visually appealing but simple and easy on the stomach.
Onigiri are small balls of cooked rice which are topped with colourful herbs, flowers, fish and vegetables.
The great thing about this onigiri is that you can make the sticky rice a day in advance, then roll and dress it just before you are ready to serve!
You can make each roll a little bit different, just by simply changing the toppings. I used cherry blossom powder, shiso leaves, dill, radish, cucumber, avocado, carrot, salmon & cod roe, salmon and sesame seeds.
You can even add fillings or seasonings like white sesame seeds, gluten free soy sauce, pickled bamboo shoots, ginger...literally anything goes!
I eat a lot of shiso leaves! They come in two colours - red (pictured) and green. They have a strong, fresh taste (especially the green variety) both are very moreish! Both red and green shiso leaves go especially well with plain or coconut boiled rice.
As soon as I get my shiso leaves home, I rinse them in cold water and put them in a plastic bag to seal in the moisture. I then put the bag in the fridge to keep the leaves cool and extend their life.
If you decide to give this recipe a go, please share your thoughts, pictures and recipe tweaks. Good luck!
Notes before we get cooking!
FODMAP red, amber green rating reflects the total amount of Fructose (FTS), Lactose (L), Mannitol (M), Sorbitol (S), Galactooligosaccharide (GOS) and Oligos Fructans (FTA) in the TOTAL volume/weight of the ingredients used in the recipe.
This recipe makes approximately 15 balls of sushi rice (5 balls pictured).
I'm a big fan of simple recipes that don't need fancy equipment. For this recipe it does help to have a heavy bottomed saucepan to cook the rice.
Ingredients:
Method
Step 1.
Place the rice in a pan and rinse well (at least 3 times).
Step 2.
Add enough water to just cover the rice (3 cm above). Salt to taste.
Step 3.
Cook on a medium heat until all of the water is evaporated.
Step 4.
In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar and sugar together. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. If using sugar with big crystals heat gently to dissolve the sugar (if needed).
Step 5.
Taste the vinegar-sugar mixture. It should have a pleasant, balanced taste. if its too sweet or too sharp for your taste, adjust with either sugar or vinegar 1 tsp at a time.
Step 6.
When you are happy with the taste of the vinegar sugar mix, add half to the rice and stir well.
Step 7.
The rice should become slightly sticky. Add more of the vinegar-sugar mixture to achieve the desired consistency if required. Let the rice cool.
Step 8.
With wet hands, gather small portions of rice and roll into balls, adding your chosen flavours and fillings.
Step 9.
At this point you can set the rice balls aside and refrigerate for use later, or proceed to add toppings straight away!
Step 10.
Decorate according to taste and enjoy!!
Disclaimer
I'm very passionate about the management of autoimmune conditions in a healthy way.
I speak with medical professionals, read journals, try and test new recipes to share with you and diligently undertake research online. That being said, as you know, each autoimmune disease, as well as any set of symptoms you may be experiencing are unique.
All information provided is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or healthcare provider to ensure the appropriateness of any information in relation to your own situation.
And finally, please comment and share so we as a community better cope with our conditions by through growth and learning.