Niko Niko Onigiri

Ingredients

• 3 oz (80 g) Cooked Japanese short grain rice
• 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
• 1 Uncooked linguine cut into 4-cm (1½-in) length
• 1 Nori seaweed sheet
• Tomato ketchup as needed
• 2 Quail eggs
• 3 oz (80 g) Cooked Japanese short grain rice
• 2 Uncooked linguine, cut into 4-cm (1½-in) length
• 1 Ham slice, cut into 5-cm (2-in) rounds
• 1 Nori seaweed sheet
• Tomato ketchup as needed

• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp Milk
• 1 tsp Potato starch
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 3 oz (80 g) Cooked Japanese short grain rice
• 1 tbsp Tomato ketchup
• 1 Uncooked linguine, cut into 4-cm (1½-in) length
• 1 Nori seaweed sheet
• 1 Sliced cheese
• Toasted black sesame seeds a few

• 3 oz (80 g) Cooked Japanese short grain rice
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp Milk
• 1 tsp Potato starch
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• ¼ Carrot cut several sizes for beak and feet
• 1 Nori seaweed sheet

To make bear onigiri
1. Combine rice and soy sauce in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Make 2 rice balls measuring 1-cm (½-in) in diameter for ears.
3. Place the remaining rice mixture on a sheet of cling wrap. Shape it into a ball to make the face of the bear. Remove cling wrap.
4. Stick a piece of pasta halfway through the small rice balls as joints and attach these into the larger rice balls.
5. Cut eyes, nose and a mouth out of nori using kitchen scissors. Arrange the eyes, nose and mouth of the bear on the larger rice ball. Use a toothpick to dab on rosy ketchup cheeks.
To make rabbit onigiri
6. Boil quail eggs and shell. While eggs are still warm, wrap them individually in cling wrap and roll them into logs to make the ears of the rabbit. Set aside to cool.
7. Place rice on a sheet of cling wrap. Shape it into a ball to make the face for the rabbit. Remove cling wrap.
8. Stick a piece of pasta halfway through each quail egg and attach these into the rice ball.
9. Cut out two 1-cm (½-in) strips from the ham and place these on the quail eggs to make ears for the rabbit.
10. Cut eyes, nose and mouth out of nori sheet using kitchen scissors. Arrange them on the rice ball. Use a toothpick to dab on rosy ketchup cheeks.
To make lion onigiri
11. Beat egg, milk and potato starch in a small bowl.
12. Heat oil in a medium pan (at least 15-cm (6-in) diameter) and pour in egg mixture to create a very thin crêpe. When egg is set, flip it over and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
13. Combine rice and ketchup in a small bowl and mix well.
14. Make 2 rice balls measuring 1-cm (½-in) in diameter for ears.
15. Place the remaining rice mixture on a sheet of cling wrap. Shape it into a ball and flatten the sides slightly. Remove cling wrap.
16. To make lion’s mane, cut the egg crêpe into a rectangle measuring 15 x 6-cm (6 x 21/3-in) and fold it in half lengthwise to get a long rectangle. Cut slits along the folded edge, then fit crêpe into a muffin cup with the folded edge sticking out to resemble a lion’s mane.
17. Place big rice ball in the centre of the muffi n cup for the lion’s face. Stick linguine into small rice balls and attach to the large rice ball.
18. Cut eyes and whiskers out of nori sheet using kitchen scissors. Cut 2 small circles from sliced cheese. Arrange on the rice ball and top with some sesame seeds for the muzzle.
To make chick onigiri
19. Place rice on a sheet of cling wrap. Shape it into an egg. Set aside.
20. Beat egg, milk and potato starch in a small bowl. Heat oil in a pan and pour in two-thirds of the egg mixture. Swirl the pan around to create a thin crêpe measuring about 15-cm (6-in) in diameter. When the egg is set, flip it over and cook for another 30 seconds.
21. Transfer the egg to a cutting board and cut slits measuring about 2-cm (1-in) along the edge of the egg crêpe.
22. Place the egg on a sheet of cling wrap. Remove cling wrap and place rice ball in the centre of the egg.
23. Wrap the rice ball with the egg followed by cling wrap and leave for 5 minutes to mould egg around rice ball. Remove cling wrap.
24. Heat some oil in the pan again and pour in the remaining egg mixture. Move the pan around to create a thin crêpe. Remove from the heat and cut out wings for the chick using kitchen scissors.
25. Cut nose and feet out of carrot and cut eyes out of nori sheet. Arrange wings, nose, feet and eyes on the rice ball.