Umeboshi Onigiri (Plum Rice Ball) (Midnight Diner) 小梅のおにぎり

Recipe Highlights After watching season 2 of Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories on Netflix, I started to recreate recipes from the show. In one episode, a regular named Umejii asks for pickled plums and eats ten of them in a row. My mouth watered watching him. It sent me to the kitchen to make Umeboshi Onigiri or plum rice ball, the salty and tangy snack from the show. Here’s why I keep coming back to this recipe: Quick to shape, no special tools needed Built from five ingredients Salty, tangy plum balanced by warm, nutty sesame rice If you love onigiri, try my Onigiri, Tuna Mayo Onigiri, and Yaki Onigiri recipes next! Table of Contents What is Umeboshi Onigiri? Umeboshi onigiri (plum rice ball) is a classic Japanese lunchbox favorite, traditionally made by placing a whole umeboshi (梅干し)—a salty, tangy pickled plum—in the center of a rice ball. However, to recreate the onigiri from Midnight Diner, look for mince ko-ume (小梅), a smaller type of pickled plum known for its firm, crunchy texture. Finely mince it and fold it throughout rice so you get a tangy, crunchy bite in every mouthful. Ingredients for Umeboshi Onigiri Small pickled plums (ko-ume) – the small, crunchy kind of umeboshi, a...