Japanese Rice Balls

My dear Japanese friends Leo and Naomi, whom I met when we all lived in the German Village district of Columbus, Ohio in the sixties introduced me to the joy of Japanese Rice Balls. I remember taking them on picnics and buying them at the station before boarding a “bullet” train in Japan. The umeboshi plum is suppose to impart magical preservative qualities as well as subtle flavors to the rice.

Put about a half cup cooked “Japanese Rice” in a rice bowl. Wet your hands in water so the rice won’t stick. Push an umeboshi (pickled plum) into the rice if desired. Mold rice into a ball, cylinder, or triangle. Wrap the ball in a strip of nori or even use a larger piece of nori and wrap the entire ball. The balls may also be rolled in either black or white toasted sesame seeds. If not eating immediately, keep the crisp nori in a plastic bag until serving time. Good for picnics or travel.