Mizuhiki – Adorning Life
Mizuhiki is an ancient Japanese art of knot-tying. This intricate craft has evolved over the centuries and is now cherished in modern Japan as both a holiday gift and a decorative element.
Hurray! It’s Onigiri’s Day!
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June 18th is deemed Onigiri’s Day. Contrary to popular beliefs, the “onigiri” 🍙, most commonly known as “rice ball” in the West, is not a variety of sushi. The reason can be attributed to the fact that they had stemmed from different needs; hence, onigiri has a history of its own.
The sushi's origins are mostly placed in the Edo Period (1600 to 1868). It was the "fast food" of the poor, to be bought and eaten at market stalls. Much older than the sushi, the onigiri however, appeared in the Nara Period (710 – 794). Chopsticks had not yet been introduced to Japan and eating rice ball formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes seemed to be a good idea to keep the hands clean – "onigiri" means to mold with hands something into shape. Also known as "omusubi", onigiri are usually seasoned with salt, partially wrapped with nori (seaweed sheets) and filled with pickled plums, salted salmon, seaweed, dry fish, or any other salty or sour ingredient that can be used as food preservative.
Lady Murasaki Shikibu gave onigiri (she referred to them as tonjiki) some littérateur spice by citing them in her renowned collection of Murasaki Shikibu Nikki (The Diary of Lady Murasaki). However, onigiri’s historical glory came with the fact that samurai wives confectioned them with lots of love for their husbands to take to war, keeping them fed and emotionally stimulated.
The Diary of Lady Shikibu
The "nori", dried seaweed sheets are often wrapped around the onigiri to keep the stickiness of the rice off the hands. But it also enables the creativity of the maker to go wild. However, nori was not widely available until mid-Edo period, when the farming of nori and fashioning it into sheets became widespread.
Onigiri are usually made with boiled white rice, but some like it with fried rice or yakimeshi (mixed-rice). Grilled onigiri (yaki-onigiri) are popular in cold winter days, but their varieties can also be characterised by region.
Versatile, delicious, and fun, onigiri have been for centuries an essential item of picnics and obento (lunch box).
Triangle onigiri rice mold cases are very helpful for busy mums.
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