Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)

Servings: 3

Ingredients
2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
1 2/3 cups cold water
85 grams chunk tuna in oil 1 small US can
3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise such as Kewpie
1 teaspoon soy sauce
6 wild sesame leaves green shiso or nori will work too
Salt
<Optional>
grilled spicy cod roe
grilled salmon
Salted plum

Instructions
Wash and cook the rice according to the directions in my sushi rice recipe (but use the proportion of rice and water in this recipe).
While the rice cooks, open the can of tuna and drain out any excess liquid. Add the tuna to a bowl along with the mayonnaise and soy sauce. Mix well to form a uniform paste.
Prepare a bowl of water and a small bowl of salt.
When the rice is cooked, stir it to fluff and then transfer it to a bowl to cool slightly and cover it with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.
When the rice is cool enough to handle but still on the hot side, wet your hands in the water bowl. Dab your index finger in the bowl of salt and rub the salt around your hands.
Working quickly, scoop 1/6 of the rice into your non-dominant hand and make a little well in the centre of the rice.
Add about 2 teaspoons of tuna mayo filling into the well and cover the tuna with the surrounding rice.