Grilled Onigiri with Soy Sauce

Makes 8 onigiri

2 cups (about 350 grams) Japanese-style short grain rice

2 cups (450 grams) water

Salt

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Place rice into a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Agitate the grains with your hands to release some of the starches. Drain and repeat until water runs clear (about 5 cycles of rinsing and draining).

Place rinsed rice into a heavy-bottomed medium pot with 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once it boils, reduce heat to the lowest possible setting and cook for around 40 minutes, until water is absorbed. Turn off heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cool rice completely, about 20 minutes.

If using a charcoal grill, fill a chimney starter with charcoal and light 30 minutes before you plan to start cooking.

When ready to form onigiri, lightly salt the rice to taste. With lightly dampened hands, grab a handful of rice (about ½ cup) and compress between to form a triangular shape.

When the coals are white-hot, pour them out of the chimney starter into the grill to form a hot bed of coals. Use tongs to move any flaming coals off to one side of grill. Set grill grates over the coals, and allow them to get hot. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high.

When grill grates are very hot, arrange onigiri on the grill in a single layer. Avoid cooking directly over a flame. While cooking, generously brush onigiri with soy sauce. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until rice is crispy and lightly charred.

Serve immediately with grilled chicken.