Japanese rice balls

Step 1
Rinse the rice under water for a couple of minutes. Place in a heavy based pot, add the water and let soak for 30 minutes.

Step 2
Cover and bring to the boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low, keep the lid on and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir with a flat spoon.

Step 3
While the rice is cooking, steam the carrots and broccoli until soft and cooked through.

Step 4
Roughly mash or chop the vegetables into a small dice. Alternatively, place the vegetables into a food processor and pulse, making sure you leave some texture. Don’t puree the mix.

Step 5
Combine the rice and vegetables.

Step 6
Line a small bowl with a piece of plastic wrap that hangs over the sides.

Step 7
Fill with the rice mix, gather up the ends of the plastic and twist tightly together, squeezing out any air, to form a ball. Repeat with the rest of the mix.

Serving suggestion:

• Add 200g finely diced chicken to the balls for added protein.  
• If eating immediately, remove the balls from the plastic. If packing for lunch, you can leave them in the plastic wrap. 

Food safety tip: If you are packing leftovers for lunch, rice needs to be kept cold so pack an ice brick.