• 2 cups cooked, still warm short-grain brown rice
• 4 slices of abura age (fried bean-curd)
• 2 umeboshi pickled Japanese plums, seeded
• 2 tablespoons dried bonito flakes
• 5 tablespoons (rounded) natto

1. Quickly blanch the slices of abura age in boiling water to remove excess oil.
2. Drain the slices and pat them dry with paper towels.
3. Cut each slice in half, across its width.
4. Make the filling:
   • Put the umeboshi, dried bonito flakes, and natto on a cutting board and finely mince them together.
5. Divide the rice into 8 balls.
6. Make an indentation in the center of a rice ball and fill it with one eighth of the filling.
   Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
7. Close up openings of the rice balls with toothpicks.
8. Place the rice balls on a non-stick skillet and grill on both sides until golden. Serves 2.