Bento Bites

August is here, and it’s the time of year where most people become sick of summer. We’re over the hot weather and overdone barbecue—it’s time for something new. The world is full of wonderfully unique flavors, and often enough, many of those tastes are specific to certain regions of the world. Enter the Japanese-inspired onigiri, which is also known as a Japanese rice ball. This perfectly portioned ball of rice can be decorated, flavored and infused with a variety of savory fillings. Although there are countless ways to make onigiri, the talented chef of Sous Weed, Monica Lo, has prepared three ways to both elevate and medicate. Learn how to whip up your very own infused sweet soy glaze to top off your fresh salmon onigiri and spam musubi—but realistically, you can use it on anything from chicken wings to grilled salmon!

Infused Sweet Soy Glaze
Makes approximately 1/2 cup 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 gram kief

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, mix both sugars, soy sauce, water, and rice vinegar, and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to low, and stir in kief.
3. Simmer on low for 15 minutes, until the consistency is syrupy.
4. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until use.

Salmon Onigiri with Infused Sweet Soy
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, short grain
3 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon infused sweet soy glaze
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Pinch of salt
1/2 sheet of nori, cut in half

Instructions:
1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
2. Cook the smoked salmon slices for about 15 seconds on each side, then remove from heat.
3. Flake the salmon with a fork, and mix salmon into the rice with medicated sweet soy glaze, sesame seeds and salt.
4. Wet your hands and firmly mold half the salmon sushi rice into a ball or the classic triangle shape. Keep moistening hands while forming so that the rice doesn’t stick. Repeat with remaining rice.
5. Wrap a strip of nori around the middle of the rice ball.
6. Serve immediately or wrap with plastic wrap to enjoy later.

Spam Musubi with Infused Sweet Soy
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 slices SPAM, 3/8″ thick
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, short grain
1 tablespoons medicated sweet soy glaze
1/2 sheet nori
Toasted sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

Instructions:
1. In a greased skillet, cook SPAM until brown and crisp on each side.
2. Lightly glaze each piece of SPAM with medicated sweet soy glaze.
3. Wet your hands and firmly mold rice into the shape of the SPAM slice. You can also use a musubi press.
4. Using scissors, cut a piece of nori with a width of 2″ to wrap around the SPAM and rice, like a belt.
5. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.

Miso Cannabutter Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball)
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, short grain
1 tablespoon cannabutter, room temperature
1/2 tablespoon white miso paste
1 teaspoon sugar
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 sheet nori cut in half (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl thoroughly mix softened cannabutter, miso paste and sugar until uniform.
   2. Wet your hands, and firmly mold half the rice into a ball or the classic triangle shape. Keep moistening hands while forming so that the rice doesn’t stick. Repeat with remaining rice. Set aside.
   3. In a non-stick pan or cast iron, heat on medium-high with some vegetable oil. Brush each side of the rice balls with medicated miso butter, and grill until lightly brown and crisp.
   4. Wrap a strip of nori around the middle of the rice ball, and serve immediately.