Nova Scotia Fish Cakes for Veterans Day Brunch or Dinner

The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready. It’s that sound you catch when pressure’s building, the float valve doing its thing, telling you the magic of cooking’s happening inside. You grab a breath of that warm steam peekin’ out along the sealing ring, and your stomach’s already on alert.

You sense the kitchen coming alive; the scent of sesame oil toasted just right mixing with salty ham notes. It’s kinda strange yet comforting combining those flavors, but it works real good for onigiri – that quiet Japanese staple you’ve seen in lunchboxes and street carts. The pressure cooker simplifies things, speeding up rice cooking and locking in all those flavors tight.

When you open that lid with a quick release, careful not to burn yourself, you spot perfectly tender rice ready to be shaped and wrapped. You gotta move fast so the nori doesn’t get soggy, wrapping triangles with little strips of seaweed like a pro or just a proud home cook. It’s fun, kinda messy, but dang so worth it.

The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method

• You get perfect rice texture every time thanks to the pressure cooker’s even heat around the grains.
• Using the quick release saves you a bunch of time without waiting for that slow release to cool things down slowly.
• The sealing ring traps all the moisture, so rice cooks moist but ain’t mushy.
• Ham mixed with mayo and soy sauce cooks gentle inside so flavors dive deep and blend nicely.
• You don’t have to babysit the pot, just let it do its thing while you prep other stuff.
• Making onigiri this way is super adaptable for filling combos or even snack sizes when you gotta grab and go.

Everything You Need Lined Up

• 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice – sticky enough to hold shapes but fluffy at the same time, y’all.
• 4 slices cooked ham, chopped small so the flavor spreads through every bite.
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce – salty goodness to bring the umami vibes.
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise adds that creamy texture that hugs the ham just right.
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil for a nutty kick that’s subtle but real good.
• 2 sheets nori seaweed, cut into strips to wrap those rice balls tight.
• Salt to taste; it’s key but watch it because soy sauce already pokes saltiness in there.

Almost all ingredients gonna be already in your pantry or fridge, which is a win for when hunger kicks in fast. You could swap ham for other meats if you want, but that combo with sesame is kinda classic and tasty.

Walking Through Every Single Move

1. First, mix the chopped ham with soy sauce, mayonnaise, and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir it gently so the mayo clings but the ham stays distinct.
2. Wet your hands with water and sprinkle some salt on them. It keeps rice from sticking, making shaping easier and less mess.
3. Take a handful of the cooked rice, flatten it gently in your palm. You don’t want it too compact or too loose.
4. Place a spoonful of that ham mixture right in the center of your rice.
5. Fold the rice all around the filling, shaping it into a triangle or ball – whatever you like best.
6. Grab one strip of the nori and wrap it around your rice ball. It adds crunch and that salty sea taste.
7. If you’re not eating right away, wrap onigiri tightly in plastic wrap so it stays fresh longer.
8. Serve immediately and feel proud you whipped up simple but flavorful fusion treat with almost no fuss.

Time Savers That Actually Work

• Cook the Japanese short-grain rice in the pressure cooker beforehand, using the natural release so you don’t rush texture.
• While rice cooks, chop ham and mix in the soy, mayo, and sesame oil—that way you’re multitasking smooth.
• Use quick release when pressure cooking rice for these onigiri so you don’t have to wait long after cooking.
• Keep a bowl of salted water nearby for wetting hands repeatedly without slowing down.
• Cut nori sheets into strips before cooking so you just gotta grab them when ready to wrap.

When You Finally Get to Eat

You catch that first bite and your taste buds dance. The soft sticky rice hugging savory ham and creamy mayo with a hint of sesame oil is just right. The little salty crunch of the nori ties it all together nice.

Each onigiri’s like a flavor party wrapped in a little seaweed blanket. It’s comfort food but a bit fancy cause you took time to mix and cook it up yourself in a pressure cooker that keeps things moist and tender.

You feel full almost from the first bite ’cause the rice sticks with you, plus that ham fillin’ gives a nice protein hit. It’s dang satisfying, good for lunch, dinner, or a snack if you’re on the move.

Making It Last All Week Long

• Wrap each onigiri tightly in plastic wrap so rice don’t dry out. Store in fridge up to 3 days.
• For longer storage, freeze wrapped onigiri in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in fridge before eating.
• If you wanna reheat, microwave for short bursts at low power so rice stays moist and nori doesn’t get rubbery.

Y’all gotta keep these stored well or they get dry and lose that soft texture. Rolling fresh nori on right before eating also helps maintain that crispness.

Your Most Asked Questions Answered

• Can I use different fillings instead of ham? Yep! You can swap in tuna, cooked chicken, or veggies that suit your taste. Just make sure filling is pre-cooked or safe to eat.
• Why is short-grain rice preferred? It’s sticky enough to hold shapes while stayin’ fluffy, perfect for forming onigiri that don’t fall apart.
• What’s the purpose of quick release? That float valve you see lets you release pressure fast, so you don’t wait forever and the rice stays just right.
• Can I make these vegan? Sure thing! Replace ham with blended tofu or chickpeas and swap mayo for vegan mayo or avocado.
• How to keep nori crispy? Wrap rice balls just before serving, or keep nori separate and wrap last minute.
• Is natural release better? For rice, natural release helps finish cooking gently, but for speed onigiri, quick release works great too.

Ham Onigiri – Cultural and Gastronomic Fusion

This quick and simple Ham Onigiri recipe blends cultural flavors for a tasty and satisfying meal. Perfect for a snack or lunch, these rice balls wrapped in nori offer a delightful mix of savory ham, creamy mayo, and nutty sesame oil.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 2 people

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice sticky enough to hold shapes but fluffy
• 4 slices cooked ham chopped small so the flavor spreads through every bite
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce salty goodness to bring the umami vibes
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise adds creamy texture that hugs the ham just right
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil for a nutty kick
• 2 sheets nori seaweed cut into strips to wrap rice balls tight
• to taste salt watch because soy sauce already salty

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Mix the chopped ham with soy sauce, mayonnaise, and sesame oil in a bowl. Stir gently so the mayo clings but the ham stays distinct.
• Wet your hands with water and sprinkle some salt on them to keep rice from sticking and make shaping easier.
• Take a handful of cooked rice and flatten it gently in your palm. Avoid compacting too much or leaving it too loose.
• Place a spoonful of the ham mixture in the center of your rice.
• Fold the rice around the filling, shaping it into a triangle or ball as you prefer.
• Grab one strip of nori and wrap it around your rice ball for added crunch and salty sea taste.
• If not eating immediately, wrap onigiri tightly in plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Notes

Wrap each onigiri tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying. Store in fridge up to 3 days, or freeze for longer preservation. Reheat gently in microwave to keep rice moist and nori crisp.