Salmon Onigiri

1. 1Put the rinsed rice and water in a saucepan and leave it to stand for 20 minutes. This gives the grains time to hydrate evenly, which helps them turn sticky without becoming wet and claggy.
2. 2Heat the grill to high, place the salmon on a lined tray, brush it with the sake and season with half the salt. Grill for 7–10 minutes, turning once, until the flesh flakes easily and smells savoury rather than raw; discard the skin and flake the fish.
3. 3Cover the rice pan with a lid and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes more so the trapped steam finishes the centre of the grains.
4. 4Tip the hot rice into a wide bowl and gently fold through the remaining salt, sesame seeds and spring onions. Do not stir hard: broken grains lose the gentle, holding-together texture onigiri needs.
5. 5Wet your hands with cold water and rub a little salt over your palms. Take a generous handful of warm rice, make a hollow in the middle, add about a sixth of the salmon, then close the rice over it; warm rice sticks, so re-wet your hands whenever shaping becomes difficult.
6. 6Cup both hands around the rice and press it into a compact triangle, turning it as you go rather than squeezing it flat. It should hold its shape but still feel soft, with no loose cracks for the filling to escape through.
7. 7Wrap each onigiri with a strip of nori just before eating. The seaweed stays crisp this way; if you prefer it soft and savoury, wrap them a little earlier, and eat within the day.

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