Salmon onigiri with ikura

Mise en place — set out in the order it goes in

1. 

   Ricefreshly cooked, hotStep 6

2. 

   Salmon

   • skin-on fillet
   • sake
   • salt

   Step 2

3. 

   Herbsshiso · myogaStep 5

4. 

   Shio kombu + sesamesalted kelp strips · toasted sesameStep 6

5. 

   Ikurasalmon roe, coldStep 6

6. 

   Hand stationbowl of water · kosher saltStep 7

7. 

   Nori6 strips (optional)Step 7

Prep order — what happens when, and what overlaps

Salt the salmon while the rice soaks; the fish is ready about when the rice is.

Step by step

1. Rice and salmon

2. 

   1Cook the rice

   per your rice cooker~1 h incl. soaking

   For this step

   • Japanese short-grain rice225 g
   • Water (rice)300 ml

   • Wash the rice, soak it 20–30 minutes in the water, then cook it (rice cooker or pot) — the method is on the onigiri page.
   • Plain rice — no vinegar, no sugar. You need it hot for mixing.

3. 

   

   2Salt the salmon

   ~40 min, mostly waiting

   For this step

   • Salmon fillet, skin on150 g (1 fillet)
   • Sake1 tsp
   • Kosher salt (salmon)1 tsp

   • Sprinkle the sake over the salmon, turn it to coat and leave it 10 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel.
   • Sprinkle the salt over the skin and both sides.
   • On a paper towel, skin side up, in the fridge for 20–30 minutes. Pat it dry again.

   

4. 

   

   3Grill — stop while it's juicy

   medium~8–10 min

   • Heat a fish grill (or a grill pan or frying pan) over medium heat.
   • Skin side down first, about 4 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden.
   • Turn and cook about 4 minutes more, until the flesh is just opaque and flakes apart but still moist in the middle. Don’t take it to dry.

   

5. 

   

   4Flake it, chop the skin

   ~4 min

   • Let it cool a minute, then peel off the skin.
   • Flake the flesh with chopsticks or a fork into big, juicy flakes, picking out any bones.
   • Chop the crisp skin into small bits — it goes into the rice for crunch.

   

6. Mix and shape

7. 

   

   5Shiso and myoga

   ~5 min

   For this step

   • Shiso leaves5
   • Myoga ginger (optional)3

   • Cut the stems off the shiso, stack and roll the leaves from the stem end, slice into thin strips and loosen them.
   • Halve the myoga lengthwise and slice thinly (skip it if you can't find it).

   

8. 

   

   

   6Mix into the rice, then the ikura

   ~3 min + 5 min cooling

   For this step

   • Ikura (salmon roe)~60 g

   • Tip the hot rice into a large bowl or tray so there's room to mix.
   • Scatter over it:
     • shiso
     • myoga
     • shio kombu (salted kelp strips) 1½ tbsp
     • toasted white sesame seeds 2 tsp
     • the salmon flakes and chopped skin
   • Fold with the rice paddle in slicing strokes until everything is evenly through — don't mash the grains.
   • Let it cool a few minutes, until you can hold it. Then tip in the cold ikura and fold gently once or twice — keep the eggs whole; don't mash them into paste.

   

9. 

   

   

   7Shape the triangles

   ~12 min

   For this step

   • Kosher salt (for your hands)2 tsp
   • Nori (optional)1 sheet

   • Wet your palms, dip 2–3 fingertips in the salt and rub it over both palms.
   • Take about 100 g (½ cup) of the warm salmon–ikura rice in your left palm.
   • Press the triangle: right hand bent into a “mountain” on top, left hand cupping, turning a third each time — light, so it stays airy (see the onigiri page).
   • Wrap a nori strip round the bottom if you like. Re-wet and re-salt your hands for each one. Eat warm or at room temperature, within a few hours.