Okaka

1. Mix. In a small bowl, add dried bonito flakes and soy sauce. Stir until the bonito flakes absorb all the soy sauce. Set aside.

Salted Salmon

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Season and roast the salmon. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the salmon filet and transfer to a cooking tray covered with parchment paper. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
3. Flake the salmon. Flake the cooked salmon with chopsticks or a fork and set aside.

Mushrooms and Scallions

1. Cook the mushrooms. In a small pan over medium heat, add mushrooms, soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Cook until the mushrooms have absorbed the liquid (about 1-2 minutes).
2. Cool to room temp. Turn the heat off and transfer to a bowl. Let cool to room temperature and mix in scallions. Set aside.

How to Shape Onigiri

1. Cut the nori sheets. Grab a sheet of nori (dried seaweed sheet) and cut it into thirds. Set aside.
2. Place a small bowl of water in your prep area. Wet your hands with water before handling the rice. This is to prevent the rice grains from sticking to your hands.
3. Form the rice balls. Scoop between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of rice into the palm of your wet hand. Create a small indentation in the center of the rice by pressing with your thumb.
4. Add the filling. Add about 1/2 tablespoon of filling to the center indentation and press gently.
5. Shape into triangles. Shape the rice between your palms into round or triangular shapes by gently pressing. Don’t press too hard (but hard enough that the rice can hold a shape).
6. Season rice and wrap with nori. Sprinkle a little kosher salt around the exterior of the onigiri. Grab a piece of nori and wrap it around the onigiri, like you’d wrap yourself in a blanket.
7. Repeat. Set the finished onigiri on a plate and repeat the same steps until all the rice is used. Serve hot or at room temp.

** Note: If making multiple flavors, top each rice ball with a little filling. Use as a visual indicator for the filling inside each onigiri.

Furikake Onigiri

1. Mix furikake with rice. Sprinkle desired amount of furikake seasoning on the cooked rice and mix well. Shape rice into triangles or balls and serve.