Ume Shiso Rice

1. Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked white rice. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
2. Discard the stems of 10 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) and roll them up from the stem to the tip. Cut into thin julienned strips.
3. Discard the pits from 5 pieces umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums) and chop it finely with the knife.
4. In a big bowl like my hangiri (sushi oke) or a baking sheet, mix 4 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice, the chopped umeboshi, the julienned shiso, and 1½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds together. Serve the rice in individual rice bowls. Enjoy!

To Store

1. In general, rice does not keep well in the refrigerator. I recommend freezing the leftover rice. I do so even when I save it for the next day. If you prefer to keep in the refrigerator, keep the rice in an airtight container and wrap the container with a thick towel to keep the rice cool but not cold.