Love Monday - Onigiri Rice Ball Wrappers

Today is what I'm going to call, Love Monday. A day where I'll share with you something that I really love...the onigiri rice ball wrappers (I buy mines at my local Asian store). I know. You're thinking, rice ball wrappers? Really? Yes, but not just the nori (seaweed), but the nori wrapped in plastic. I absolutely love this stuff and if you like rice balls, you'll love this too.

I actually grew up eating rice balls all the time. To me, the best time to eat rice balls are when they are freshly made. The warm salted rice with the crisp nori is a delicious treat. However, when you pack these for lunch, the nori comes into contact with the rice and gets soggy. Soggy nori doesn't make a difference in the taste of the rice ball, but it does make a difference texture wise. Does that make sense? It's like eating a green bean casserole with soggy onion topping...it just wouldn't be the same without the crispy onions.



This is the one that I buy at my local Asian store
 

This is what the nori looks like when you take it out. You'll get the nori wrapped in plastic and some stickers to keep the wrap on your rice ball. The number 1 indicates the pull tab you'll use to remove the plastic wrap.
I sure wish these were around when I was growing up. I wouldn't have to have eaten all those soggy rice balls.

Place your shaped rice ball onto nori wrap with the numbered side facing the outside. If you don't know how to shape a rice ball, check out the video below. **You don't need to buy a rice mold**

Bring the bottom of the wrapper towards the top of the rice ball. Tuck the corners under the rice ball.

Wrap the bottom nori around the top of the rice and secure with the included sticker.

If you look closely, you'll see lines on the sticker. You do not need to remove the sticker when you are ready to eat the rice ball. Just pull the tab on the reverse side (indicated by the number 1). It will go all the way around and through the sticker. It's just like removing the plastic wrap on a pack of gum. The wrapper we fall off into two separate pieces.

 

Here is a wonderful video that shows you how to make a rice ball without the mold. I make mines exactly like this, but I only use one bowl and just move the upright bowl in a circular motion.