Porg Rice Balls

Submitted by Arlyn Osborne

"Toasted sesame seeds give this sushi dish a rich nutty flavor and an appearance that might be just as adorable as their inspiration.  Inside you’ll find a bite of crisp cucumber and velvety cream cheese."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 5 rice balls

ingredients

• nori
• 1 carrot
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 carrot
• 1 cucumber, cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 10 sliced almonds, toasted
• 1⁄4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
• soy sauce, for serving
• hot sauce, for serving (sriracha)

directions

1. Use a nori punch to stamp out 5 pairs of eyes.  Punch out 3 frown expressions.  Use a smaller size punch to stamp out 2 smaller circles for the mouth.  Alternatively, you could use a hole punch and scissors.
2. Peel and slice the carrot into thin rounds.  Trim the sliced rounds into feet using a small paring knife.  You should have 5 pairs of feet.
3. Combine hot cooked rice with rice vinegar and sugar.  Mix to combine.
4. Place a small piece of plastic wrap on a work surface.  Scoop 2 tablespoons of rice into the center of plastic wrap.  Flatten out and spread about ½ teaspoon of cream cheese in the center and top with a cube of cucumber.  Wrap up tightly into a ball, using the plastic wrap to shape and seal.  Repeat until you have 5 rice balls.
5. Trim a small piece of parchment paper in a curved “M” shape so that it fits the front of the rice balls.  It should cover up most of the face, but expose the sides and the dip of the “M” at the top of the head.
6. Unwrap one of the rice balls and position the parchment cut-out onto one side of the rice.  Dip the rice ball into the toasted sesame seeds.  Remove the parchment cut-out - this is the Porg’s face.  Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
7. Immediately attach two nori circles for eyes, two black sesame seeds for the nose, and either a frown or smaller circle for the mouth.
8. Transfer to a serving platter and push the carrot feet into the bottom of the rice balls.  Serve with soy sauce and Sriracha.