Miso Walnut Onigiri / Musubi

Method15 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Warm a small dry pan over medium heat. Add all the chopped walnuts (3/4 cup) and stir for about 3 minutes, until lightly warmed and browned; avoid scorching.

   Uses 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

2. 2

   Step 2: Add the 2 tbsp mirin to the warmed walnuts and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to low, add the 2 tbsp miso and 1 tbsp sugar, and mix until the miso is incorporated and the sugar dissolves.

   Uses Warmed walnuts · 2 tbsp mirin · 2 tbsp white or red miso · 1 tbsp sugar

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix in the 2 tsp peanut butter until evenly combined. Turn off the heat and transfer this one complete walnut-miso filling batch to a small bowl.

   Uses Walnuts with mirin miso and sugar · 2 tsp creamy peanut butter

4. 4

   Step 4: Fluff the measured 6 cups freshly cooked, still-warm Japanese short-grain rice (6 cups) and transfer it to one large bowl.

   Uses 6 cups freshly cooked Japanese short-grain rice, still warm

5. 5

   Step 5: Wash the onigiri mold. Put a little actual sea salt into a small dish and clean water into another for lightly wetting the mold. Cut each of the two full-size nori sheets lengthwise into thirds to make six strips.

   Uses Sea salt as needed to lightly salt the mold, divided · Water as needed to wash and lightly wet the mold, divided · 2 full-size nori sheets

6. 6

   Step 6: Arrange the warm rice bowl, one prepared walnut filling bowl, mold, salt and water dishes, and six nori strips within reach.

   Uses One warm rice bowl · One walnut-miso-peanut filling batch · Prepared mold salt water and six nori strips

7. 7

   Step 7: Lightly wet the mold using a small actual draw from the prepared water dish, shake off excess, and sprinkle a little actual sea salt from the prepared dish inside.

   Uses Actual first mold water and sea salt draw

8. 8

   Step 8: Add an actual draw of warm rice until the first mold is about 40% full. Pat gently with a rice paddle.

   Uses Actual first lower rice draw · First wetted and salted mold

9. 9

   Step 9: Place 1 tsp of the prepared walnut-miso-peanut filling in the center of the first rice layer.

   Uses First lower rice layer · 1 tsp prepared walnut-miso-peanut filling

10. 10

    Step 10: Cover that filling with an actual additional draw of warm rice until the mold is full.

    Uses First rice layer with one-teaspoon filling · Actual first upper rice draw

11. 11

    Step 11: Fit the mold lid and press gently to seal and shape the first filled rice ball.

    Uses First filled rice mold

12. 12

    Step 12: Invert the mold and gently press its back to release the first filled rice ball onto a clean plate.

    Uses First pressed rice ball

13. 13

    Step 13: Repeat the wetting, salting, lower rice layer, 1 tsp prepared filling, upper rice layer, pressing and release with the actual remaining rice. Aim for about six onigiri from the single six-cup rice batch. Use a one-teaspoon draw for each ball; the complete filling batch may leave extra filling. Refrigerate any unused filling promptly.

    Uses First completed rice ball · Actual remaining warm rice · Actual remaining filling for one-teaspoon draws · Actual remaining mold salt and water

14. 14

    Step 14: Set one of the six prepared nori strips on a clean plate and place the first completed rice ball in its center.

    Uses First completed rice ball · One of six nori strips

15. 15

    Step 15: Stand the first rice ball upright and fold the nori around it, tucking excess underneath. Wrap the remaining balls with the remaining strips the same way and serve the approximately six pieces warm.

    Uses First ball on its nori strip · Actual remaining assembled rice balls · Actual remaining nori strips