Ume-Jako Onigiri (Pickled Plum and Dried Baby Sardine Rice Balls)

Steps

1. 1
   Wash and dry the shiso leaves with paper towels; remove the stems, roll lengthwise, and then slice thinly into fine shreds.
2. 2
   Remove the pit from the umeboshi and gently pound it with the knife blade until roughly minced.
3. 3
   Microwave the bonito flakes at 600W for 1 minute, then crumble them with your fingers into a fine powder.
4. 4
   Add soy sauce and sesame oil to the rice and mix well.
5. 5
   Add the minced umeboshi, tenkasu, dried baby sardines, sesame seeds, and bonito powder; mix thoroughly.
6. 6
   Finally add the shiso leaf shreds and gently fold in, then shape the mixture into rice balls by hand.