I decided to make Penelope some Yaki Onigiri or "Grilled Rice Balls" for lunch today.

Yaki Onigiri

Sauce

2 tsp Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sake (rice wine)
2 tsp Mirin (similar to Sake only sweeter)
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Furikake, Toasted Sesame and Nori flavor (Japanese rice seasoning)

1 cup of cooked Short Grain or Sushi Rice warm

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix, set aside. To form the Onigiri you can use your hands or use a mold specifically for Onigiri. I have Onigiri molds so I used a cylinder shaped one. Onigiri can also be formed into balls or triangles and filled with things like Umeboshi (Japanese preserved pickled plum), tuna and mayo, or whatever your tummy desires. They can also be wrapped with Nori (dried seaweed wrapper). If you are using your hands to form the Onigiri make sure your hands are wet so the rice does not stick to them. Once your Onigiri is formed lightly brush the sauce mixture on one side and grill in a pan sauce side down till the outside is browned and crispy. Brush sauce on the top side and then flip over to brown and crisp. These make yummy on the go snacks!

If you notice my Onigiri has egg in it. I actually added a little raw egg to the rice mixture because I thought Pen would like it better. I was right she loved her rice balls! I served them to her with some smoked salmon that a friend caught and smoked himself. Very good stuff. Penelope however was not a fan. More for me!