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  • 7 hours ago
Kombu onigiri is a Japanese rice ball recipe that turns leftover kelp into a savory no waste filling with deep umami flavor. This method usually uses kombu left from making dashi, then slices it thinly and simmers it with soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and sometimes sesame seeds or bonito flakes until it becomes tender and glossy. The seasoned kelp adds a salty sweet flavor that pairs well with warm short grain rice and makes each bite richer without needing a complicated filling. Once the kombu is ready, it can be tucked inside rice balls or mixed through the rice before shaping into triangles or rounds. A sheet of nori adds aroma and a classic handheld finish. The final kombu onigiri is practical, flavorful, and easy to pack for lunch, turning leftover kelp into a simple Japanese snack with soft rice, chewy filling, and satisfying umami depth.
Transcript
00:01Hey everyone, I'm Yuto and today on Stachi, I'm going to show you how to make a delicious
00:05plant-based rice ball using leftover kombu, simmered in a simple yet flavorful broth.
00:11Let's get to it. First, you'll need 50g of rehydrated kombu,
00:17that's about 10g or so before soaking. Cut it into thin strips about 3mm thick.
00:28This was kombu leftover from making homemade dashi.
00:31I didn't have time to use it straight away, so I froze it and defrosted it for the video.
00:36This recipe is a great way to use up leftover kombu instead of throwing it away.
00:43If you want to learn more about making dashi, check out my other video.
00:48Okay, once it's all cut, let's make our tsukudani.
00:51Add the kombu to a pan along with 500ml of water,
01:032 tablespoons of sake, and a teaspoon of rice vinegar.
01:08Turn on the heat to medium so that we can bring that to a boil.
01:13The sake and rice vinegar help soften the texture and balance the flavor of the kombu.
01:20Once it starts to bubble, lower the heat to a simmer,
01:24and let it cook uncovered until the liquid has reduced to a little less than half.
01:30This generally takes about 20 minutes.
01:36Okay, this is looking good, so now I'm adding 1 tablespoon of mirin,
01:412 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a tablespoon of light brown sugar.
01:47Mix it around and turn the heat back up to medium.
01:53From this point, we just want to cook it until the liquid is gone.
01:58Mix it from time to time to make sure nothing burns or sticks to the bottom of the pan.
02:05When it's thick and sticky like this, turn off the heat and mix in half a tablespoon of sesame seeds.
02:14This is ready to use straight away, so let's make our rice balls.
02:18So here, I have a bowl of water to wet my hands.
02:23This will stop the rice from sticking.
02:25Sprinkle your palms with a couple of pinches of salt.
02:29This will season the rice on the outside and help preserve it.
02:34Next, I have some freshly cooked rice that I made in my rice cooker.
02:39Each rice ball uses about 100-250 grams of rice, depending on how big you want it to be.
02:45Roll it into a bowl and flatten it a bit like this.
02:49Then make a dent and add about 1 teaspoon worth of filling.
02:55You can add a bit more rice on top if you feel like it needs it.
02:59But in general, just fold the rice in half to encase the filling.
03:03Then press and turn to make it into a rounded triangle.
03:09You can add more filling if you like, but this Konbutsukudani is rich and flavourful,
03:14so a little goes a long way.
03:17If you're not so confident in your shaping skills, or just want to save time,
03:22I seriously recommend these plastic rice ball moulds from Daiso.
03:27Simply fill it up halfway, add the Konbutsukudani and then fill it up to the top.
03:35Press the lid down to pack the rice tightly, then take it off.
03:42Flip over and pop it out using the tab on the back.
03:48The final step is wrapping the rice ball in some crispy nori.
03:53And that's it, delicious rice balls filled with homemade Konbutsukudani.
03:58I hope you enjoyed that one, and if you want to learn more rice ball recipes,
04:03check out the other videos on my channel, or recipes on my blog. Links are in the description.
04:09Thanks for watching, I hope to see you next time. Have a great day.
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