If you’ve ever experienced the joy of sushi making, you know the best part is being able to customize your creations. Don’t do fish? Roll in veggies or chopped avocado. Like it hot? Bring on the wasabi! The same culinary freedom applies to these spiced-and-seeded rice balls. Golden-yellow turmeric and chili powder add exotic, spicy flair, but you can easily tone down the taste by using less of these ingredients—or swap them out completely for seasonings that suit you best.
Sesame-Turmeric Brown Rice Balls
Makes 8-10 balls
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked short-grain brown rice
1 cup (approx.) sesame seeds
½ tsp. golden flax seeds, ground
½ tsp. black chia seeds, ground
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. garlic powder
Himalayan pink sea salt, to taste
Water or rice vinegar (for binding/mixing)
Directions
- Cook rice according to package directions. Let cool to room temperature.
- In medium-sized bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Add a splash of water or rice vinegar to help ingredients stick together (do not go overboard!). Let sit for up to five minutes to bind.
- Line a very small bowl (like a dipping-sauce bowl) with plastic wrap so that the edges come up over sides.
- Add a scoop of rice to the bowl. (Note: Add optional fillings, such as chopped vegetables or avocado, if you’d like!)
- To shape rice balls, bring together edges of plastic wrap and press out the air, twisting and shaping rice mixture into a ball.
- Unwrap rice ball and place on non-stick surface while making balls from remaining mixture.
- On a flat surface, spread out sesame seeds. Roll balls in seeds until coated. (Note: Seeds can be toasted ahead of time, or place seed-covered balls on baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 425 degrees F to toast seeds and heat rice balls.
- Serve warm with sweet chili sauce or teriyaki sauce.