Rainbow Quinoa Onigiri
Yields: 6 Servings | Prep time: 20 min (rice cooking time not included)
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Ingredients
For the rice:
Red Rice:
Brown rice (soaked overnight) 250g
White rice 250g
Water (for cooking)
Cooked tri-color quinoa 5g
Green Rice:
White rice 500g
Fresh pandan leaves 20 leaves
Water 500g
Cooked tri-color quinoa 5g
Blue Rice:
White rice 500g
Dried butterfly pea flowers 10 flowers
Water 500g
Cooked tri-color quinoa 5g
Yellow Rice:
White rice 500g
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Water 500g
Cooked tri-color quinoa 5g
For the Marinated Seaweed (Wakame) Filling:
Dried wakame 10g
Water 200g
Soy sauce / Vegetarian soy seasoning 2 tbsp
Mirin 1 tbsp
Coconut nectar 1 tsp
For the Himematsutake Mushroom Filling:
Himematsutake mushrooms (soaked until soft) 60g
Water 200g
Soy sauce / Vegetarian soy seasoning 2 tbsp
Mirin 1 tbsp
Coconut nectar 1 tsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Instructions
Step 1. Prepare Natural Color Extracts
Green: Blend fresh pandan leaves with water in a blender, then strain to extract pandan water.
Blue: Steep butterfly pea flowers in water, then strain out the flowers to get blue water.
Yellow: Whisk turmeric powder into water until thoroughly mixed.
Step 2. Cook the Colored Rice
Mix the overnight-soaked brown rice with red rice, add water, and cook until done.
Cook the remaining portions of white rice separately using their corresponding natural colored extract (pandan water, butterfly pea water, and turmeric water).
Step 3. Prepare the Fillings
Place the wakame seaweed and Himematsutake mushrooms in separate pots with their respective seasonings.
Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the liquid reduces and cooks dry. Remove from heat and finely chop both fillings.
Step 4. Fold in Quinoa
Once cooked, transfer the 4 separate batches of colored rice into individual bowls. Gently fold an appropriate amount of cooked tri-color quinoa into each bowl.
Step 5. Mold and Fill
Prepare an onigiri mold and press a layer of colored rice into the bottom.
Place a portion of the seasoned wakame and chopped Himematsutake mushrooms in the center as filling.
Cover with another layer of colored rice and press down firmly to shape.
Step 6. Unmold and Serve
Carefully remove the shaped four-color onigiri from the mold and arrange them on a platter. Pair with seasonal herbs (optional), then serve and enjoy.
