I wanted to make a special lunch for my kids on Valentine’s day, and these heart-shaped rice balls did the trick. But you don’t have to wait for Valentine’s day to make these cute little rice balls. They are pretty easy to make!
You need medium-grain white rice such as Calrose or Nishiki to make these rice balls. Medium-grain is the most commonly used rice in Korean cuisine. When freshly cooked, this rice is soft and fluffy, but you can form it into a shape by pressing it.
If you aren’t familiar with cooking rice, you can use Bibigo instant rice or similar products. Just make sure it is medium-grain. One important thing to note is that you must shape the rice balls while the rice is still warm. Once the rice cools down, it will be harder to shape.
I used a heart-shaped rice mold for this lunch because I made it for Valentine’s day. But triangular mold also makes super cute rice balls.
I used Fork In The Road- Little Goodies sold at Whole Foods for these rice balls. They are the perfect size to make these little hearts.
To make sausage hearts, cut a mini sausage diagonally in half. Then flip one piece of the sausage. You can do this with cherry tomatoes too.
Heart sausage rice balls
These cute rice balls are great for a special lunch box or any day!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked medium-grain white rice Calrose or Nishiki
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil + more
- 4 + more mini sausages
Instructions
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(optional) Place sausages in boiling water for 2~3 minutes to heat. Cut the sausages in half (see the diagram) to create a heart shape.
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Mix salt, sugar, and vinegar. Add the mixture to rice and gently toss to season the rice. Add 2 tsp toasted sesame oil and toss.
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Add a thin layer of rice into a rice mold. Place the heart sausage in the middle and add more rice around it. Press.
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Brush the edges with more toasted sesame oil to prevent rice balls from sticking to each other.
