[Unit Project 2]My original rice ball

 Introduction

The rice ball is a food that has been popular in Japan for a long time. It was made in Yayoi period for the first time but the rice ball of the modern is based on  "tonjiki", which was made in Heian period. It is easy to carry and eat so it became widely eaten in Japan. Nowadays, It is not only a home-cooked dish, but It is often sold in convenience stores. In Addition, specialty stores of the rice ball have been established so the rice ball is growing in popularity overseas.

 I work part time at a specialty store of rice balls. The store sells variety of rice balls and they are delicious. One of them is the using bonito flakes (It is called"Katsuobushi" in Japan), so I began to wonder if I could make my original rice ball by adding something else. I tried a bacon and a cream cheese as a tasty ingredient to eat with the bonito flakes.   

You will need

・One rice cooker

・One frying pan

・One kitchen knife

・One chopping board

・One pair of chopsticks

・One bowl

・One colander

・Measuring spoons

Ingredients

  This recipe yields 2 servings  

・Rice (225 g)

・Two lavers

・Cream cheese(8pieces of the 12 equal cuts)

・Bacon(5 g×2)

・Oil (1 small tbsp)

・Bonito flakes(3 g)

・Soy source(2 small tbsp)

・Sweet sake(2 small tbsp)

・Cooking sake(1 small tbsp)

Procedures

1. First, wash 225 g of the rice and cook in the rice cooker. 

2. Next, cut the bacon into 0.3 cm length, and the cream cheese into 12 equal pieces.

3. After part 2, add the oil in the frying pan and turn on the heat.Then, fry the bacons from step 2 to the frying pan by using the one pair of chopsticks.

 

4. While the bacons are frying and cooling, make the seasoning for the bonito flakes. At this time, turn off the heat. Add the soy source, sugar, sweet sake, and cooking sake to the bowl.

5. After mixing the contents of the bowl, heat a frying pan and add bonito flakes by using the chopsticks.

6. When the bonito flakes are frying, add

the seasoning.

7. While the bonito flakes are cooling, divide the rice into two portions of 95 g each. Then, put the bonito flakes from step 6 in the center of the rice to make a triangular shape. 

8. Finally, wrap the lavers around two triangular shaped rice ball from step 7.

 

Conclusion

 This time I made the rice ball with the bonito flakes, the bacon, and the cream cheese. It is a combination that at first glance doesn't seem to go together, but it is delicious! If you're in the mood for something healthier, I would suggest removing the bacon. Also, I think adding mayonnaise would give it the rice ball milder taste. The rice ball can be made in many different varieties depending on your ideas. Please try making your own original rice ball!