Japan's unlikely hero: the humble rice ball

[AsahinaKimi]

Onigiri ingredients:

Freshly steamed white Japanese-style rice — about 1 cup per onigiri
Umeboshi (pickled plum), stones removed — about 1/2 tsp per onigiri
Salt
Cut sheets of toasted nori seaweed (optional)

By MAKIKO ITOH
Special to The Japan Times


One of the quiet heroes to emerge in this time of grave crisis in Japan is the humble little white ball of rice called onigiri or omusubi.

We've seen them everywhere. Onigiri distributed to survivors in shelters, the recipients both young and old biting into them with smiles on their faces. Onigiri being made at a frantic pace by volunteers in communities that escaped the brunt of the damage, for their neighbors who were less fortunate. As the days have passed and the supplies continued to dwindle in especially hard-hit areas, there have been scenes of mothers carefully crumbling onigiri into hot water to feed piece by piece to their small children, with nothing left to waste.

Onigiri have even played a part in the Tokyo metropolitan area, where people faced with rolling blackouts have been making sure to cook enough rice while the power is still on so they can make onigiri for later.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg20110324f1.html
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Even though I don't live in Japan, the one thing I love to eat is Onigiri, and I have fond memories of sitting on my dad's lap, Watching Shintaro Katsu fill his face with onigiri in a
Zatoichi episode..

[Bonobo]

1. Nigiri! I love you!

[blogslut]

2. I hear you

Blogslut jr. is obsessed with taking Bento-Box lunches to her job for lunch and has recently been making rice balls. They're filling and tasty and inexpensive. :hi:

[Bonobo]

3. Onigiri to the rescue!

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Rcj5fEe2stE/TYNZJ1fpL-I/AAAAAAAABzQ/fKuOUAtJwVk/s1600/%25E3%2581%258A%25E3%2581%25AB%25E3%2581%258E%25E3%2582%258A+002.jpg https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6sx6DyCJApI/TYNZOBrNy4I/AAAAAAAABzU/WlBe9fCtoEc/s1600/%25E3%2581%258A%25E3%2581%25AB%25E3%2581%258E%25E3%2582%258A+001.jpg

[AsahinaKimi]

7. Sugoi!!!!

Shashin wa totemo kakkoii desune! Thanks for those photos!







**Note: I just made some Onigiri tonight..I have had some left over nori in a bag, and it was still fresh after many months. Needs some slices of ginger, and it would be perfect.

[uppityperson]

4. k&r with a question

I know we can't predict, but is there concern over the nori supply what with some contaminated ocean? I know what is there already is ok, wondering if there is concern there over future supply. I read an article about Calgary Canada, some store having a run on such with fears of not having more later.

Rice balls, yum.

[Bonobo]

5. We make nori on my island and it was already a bad year.

I can't answer your question about radiation fears, but nori was bad this year because lack of rainfall meant that not enough nutrients were turned over in the water and so the nori color wasn't very good and no one will buy not very green nori...

[dkf]

6. Goodness I had no idea that is how we got it

Never thought to ask.

All I know is seeing that musubi is making me hungry, especially the thought of a freshly made one.

[uppityperson]

8. I hadn't thought about how it was made, that's too bad it was a bad yr. What color was it?.

I'd send you some of my rain if I could, breaking records here.

[Bonobo]

10. After the nori gets baked under the ovens, it is supposed to come out a nice dark green.

This year it came out more brown-ish.
I did an interesting tour of the little factory.

They start by taking in the pulp algae and filtering it with lots of water. Then they press it together and bake it and slice it.

The first picture below is my island.

[Angry Dragon]

13. That appears to be a very pleasant place to live.............

[fishwax]

15. interesting, thanks!

:kick:

[uppityperson]

19. Thank you, very interesting and what a beautiful harbor.

It looks like the mussel beds we have nearby. Very interesting. They should market it to yuppie americans as "special, unique, rare, brown nori".

I am so glad the tsunami missed you. Looks like fishing boats there also?

[Generic Other]

9. This is a minor sadness for me (compared to others' pain)

My mother always brings me special sweet ume from Ibaragi. And some sort of ginger that is pickled in orange brine. It has a wonderful smokey flavor. She has to hunt it down in remote villages. I am going to miss those products. I am afraid they will not be able to sell any of their produce for a very long time.

Besides the incredible loss of life and property, a lot of other beautiful cultural treasures were lost.

I have a deeper understanding of how profoundly sad the citizens of New Orleans felt about the loss of their cultural traditions and history after Katrina.

[Bonobo]

11. That is really sad... I'm sorry. nt

[Art_from_Ark]

16. I think you are talking about "Mito no Ume",

the sweet ume product from Ibaraki. I think you're the one with relatives in Tsukuba/Tsuchiura. I have seen it sold at Seibu Department Store in Tsukuba, and at Tsuchiura Station.

[Generic Other]

18. I think it's the ginger that was hardest for her to find

I hope the plums will not be poisoned forever. I am spoiled by the delicious flavor.

[Art_from_Ark]

22. Pickled ginger

Could it possibly be something from this page?

http://www.nagatsuke.com/shop/

I think the plums will be OK. The biggest radiation concern around here for the time being is Iodine-131, which has a half-life of about 8 days.

[Umbral]

12. If it were only possible to get real Japanese rice here in the states...

They don't export the stuff. Nishiki is close but calrose is just so much mush.

[Generic Other]

14. The only stuff my mom will eat (and her people are rice farmers)

Kokuho Rose™
True Koda Varietal™
Our heirloom varietal, medium grain rice grown exclusively on Koda Farms.

You can buy it online. My mom and her friends will line up at dawn to buy a stash when the new supply comes in to the market.

http://www.kodafarms.com/products.html

[Art_from_Ark]

17. There is now an American-produced "Koshihikari" rice

Grown in Arkansas. Apparently it tastes just like the Japanese-grown Koshihikari.

[KamaAina]

20. I just learned something

Omusubi must have given rise to Hawai'i's musubi, basically the same thing with a slice of Spam on top (seriesly). Recent variants include split hot dogs, teri chicken, etc., but the Spam musubi is still the gold standard and turns up everywhere from picnics at the beach to 7-Elevens.

[formercia]

21. Nori contains a lot of Iodine

It will act to counter the Iodine 131. Unfortunately, eventually, the radioactive iodine will find its way into the seaweed.

[Art_from_Ark]

23. The half-life of Iodine-131 is about 8 days

so it won't last long in the seaweed if it does enter it.

[formercia]

25. ..mmm...ok, how about Iodine 129?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x595583

[Liberal_in_LA]

24. Does white rice have a lot of nutrition? Is it is like white flour?