Omusubi With Soy-Butter Mushrooms
You can find a version of the adorable Japanese stuffed rice balls known as omusubi (or onigiri) at the California chain Sunny Blue. These are filled with a salty-buttery mix of chopped mushrooms, such as earthy shiitake, shimeji, and enoki. All are easy to find in Asian supermarkets, but you can also use crimini or button mushrooms with great results. Just make sure to cut the mushrooms into fairly small pieces so they can eventually fit inside the rice balls.
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What you’ll need
Medium Pot with Lid
$160 $150 At Amazon
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Chef's Knife
$61 At Amazon
Measuring Cups
$18 At Bon Appétit Market
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 9
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring rice and 2½ cups cold water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook until water is evaporated and rice is tender, 18–20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a rice paddle or fork, cover again, and let sit until ready to use.
Step 2
Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add all of the mushrooms, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add soy sauce, sake, and oil and simmer, tossing occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glossy sauce that coats mushrooms, about 2 minutes. Stir in shichimi togarashi. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
Step 3
Set up a workstation with a small bowl of water, a small bowl of salt, cooked rice (it should still be warm but cool enough to handle), mushroom mixture, and nori.
Step 4
To make 1 omusubi, scoop ½ cup rice onto a work surface. Dip your hands in water to moisten, then rub them with a little salt. (This prevents the rice from sticking to your hands as you work and also flavors the omusubi.) Cupping rice in your nondominant hand, make a shallow well in the center of the rice mound and fill with a heaping tablespoonful of mushroom mixture. Using your hands and moistening as needed to prevent rice from sticking, gently but firmly shape rice into a ball, fully enclosing mushroom mixture. Place rice ball back on surface and flatten lightly. Using the side of a wet chef’s knife, gently push into a triangle shape. Wrap in a sheet of nori and sprinkle with furikake. Repeat with remaining rice, mushroom filling, and nori.
