Cup of Yum
1. Gather all the ingredients. For the cooked rice, please note that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
2. Remove and discard the seeds from 3.5 oz pickled plums (ko ume).
3. Mince the plums with a sharp knife.
4. Add the chopped pickled plums and 2 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds to 4⅓ cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice.
5. With a rice paddle, mix well together using a cutting motion. Don’t “stir“ the rice and make it mushy. Roughly divide the rice into 6 or 8 equal portions.

To Shape the Rice Balls

1. Prepare a bowl of water and a bowl of 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Wet both hands and then dip 2 fingertips in the salt and spread between your palms.
2. Scoop the rice onto your palm. Gently press and form the rice into a triangle. I use three fingers (thumb, index finger, middle finger) to make a triangle corner. Tip: For step-by-step photos and instructions on how to shape the rice balls using your hands, an onigiri mold, or plastic wrap, see my Onigiri recipe.
3. When you press, your hands should be just firm enough so the rice ball doesn‘t fall apart. You don‘t want to squeeze the rice too tight.
4. Wrap the rice balls with strips cut from 3 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed). Enjoy!