Hanami in the Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens

Last month my family and I went to the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens to practice the Japanese custom of hanami (cherry blossom viewing). Natalia from Smiles! Photography also came along to capture the beauty of the flowers and surroundings so I can share them here with you. 

When I lived in Japan I got a real insight into how Japanese people celebrate hanami by taking part in it with my Japanese friends and also my work colleagues. I remember the most junior member of staff had to sit under a tree most of the day to make sure we had the best spot for hanami after work. Hanami is enjoyed by sitting under a cherry blossom tree or nearby and appreciating the beauty of them while eating a packed bento with drinks. Here's a picture of our dog, Jackie enjoying hanami!! 

This is the perfect place to spend time with family or friends. I'd recommend bringing a picnic along and enjoying it on the benches in the car-park as you drive in or pack a picnic blanket to sit on the grass. We brought along a packed bento including homemade panko coated fish goujons, onigiri (rice balls) sprinkled with furikake and a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Notes:
- To see more about the Irish National Stud & Japanese gardens click on the link below:
http://irishnationalstud.ie/
- Thanks to Smiles! Photography for taking the photos of our family day in the Irish National Stud & Japanese Gardens. The copyright for these photos belongs to Smiles! Photography and Fiona Uyema so please ask for permission if you'd like to use them. 

Japanese Rice Balls Recipe - Onigiri

Now that the children are back to school I started to think about the challenge that faces parents to pack a healthy and appetizing school lunch for their children. In recent years, schools have started to play a role in encouraging parents to pack healthy lunches by not allowing children to have sugar filled snacks as part of their lunch. My sister actually mentioned in passing the other day that her son's school gives awards for the best packed lunch!

Japanese rice balls called onigiri in Japanese are a popular lunchbox filler in Japan. So if you're stuck for ideas when packing your children's lunch or your own lunch for work then try these easy to make and very healthy rice balls! Since Japanese rice is very sticky the rice balls won't fall apart so it's easy to eat these with your hands. You can wrap them in cling film in your lunchbox so that they keep their shape and stay fresh.  

The recipe below is very basic using only rice and seaweed with some seasoning on top but you can add whatever fillings you like in the middle or mix the filling with the rice and then shape the rice ball. Tuna mayo is a popular filling for rice balls and generally liked by most people.

Ingredients:
Japanese sushi rice (320g uncooked)
Pinch of salt  
1 Nori sheet (roasted seaweed)
Dried shiso leaf (optional for seasoning)
Roasted sesame seeds (optional for seasoning)

Makes 6-8 rice balls

Instructions:
1. Cook rice (please click here to see my post on how to cook Japanese rice).

2. Fill a small bowl with cold water and then add the salt. Use this water bowl to coat your hands before you start making the rice balls. I tend to use sushi rice seasoning to coat my hands if I have the ingredients and time, click here to see how to make sushi rice seasoning.

3. Coat your hands in the seasoned water and take a handful of warm rice. Start to shape the rice into a oval or triangular shape. Make sure you hands are firm when shaping the rice to ensure that the rice ball won't fall apart.

4. Place a sheet of nori on a chopping board. Cut off a small piece of nori and wrap it around the bottom of the rice ball as shown in the picture above. 

5. Sprinkle dried shiso leaf or sesame seeds over the rice ball.

How to eat:
Eat with your hands like a sandwich.

Tips:
1. Don't try to shape the rice ball when the rice is hot as you'll burn your hand!

2. Don't put the nori on the rice until you're ready to eat it if you like the nori crispy.

3. Only use Japanese sushi rice as the rice has to be sticky to make rice balls.

Why not:
Cover the rice ball completely in nori if you like the taste of nori.