Onigiri + Miso Soup

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Onigiri
3/4 c sushi rice
1 c water
Rice vinegar
Salt
Toasted sesame seeds and/or rice seasoning
Umeboshi or other filling of choice

Pour rice and water into medium saucepan and put over medium heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce to simmer.
Begin working on soup.

Miso Soup
6 cups water
6 T miso paste
1/4 c green onion, chopped
2 T dried wakame
1/2 block firm tofu, cut into "sticks"

In a small bowl, first mix miso paste with a small amount of warm water to thin it slightly. This will keep it from lumping up in the soup.
Add thinned miso to 6 cups water, bring to a boil.
Toss in wakame, tofu, and onion.
Heat until wakame is tender.

Once rice has absorbed water and is cooked, add several dashes of rice vinegar, salt to taste, and stir.
It should be sticky.
Add sesame seeds and rice seasoning.
Once cool enough to touch, mold by putting a dollop of rice onto plastic wrap, then form a ditch for filling in the middle.
Add a bit more rice on top of filling, then wrap plastic wrap around ball, forming it in your hands into a triangular shape.
Unwrap and sprinkle with more seasoning.