Step 1
Bring 2 cups short-grain sushi rice, rinsed until water runs clear, and 2½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and cook until water is absorbed, 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit (still covered) 15 minutes. Gently fluff rice with a fork, cover again, and let sit until ready to use.
Step 2
Meanwhile, pat one 8-oz. skin-on salmon fillet (about 1″ thick) dry and season with kosher salt on both sides. Sift 1 Tbsp. potato starch or cornstarch through a fine-mesh sieve over salmon, turning to coat both sides. Stir 1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari, 1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. mirin, and 1 Tbsp. cooking sake in a small bowl to combine.
Step 3
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium-high. Cook salmon, skin side down, gently pressing down on fish with a spatula, until skin is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until flesh side is browned, about 4 minutes. Add a splash of cooking sake, cover pan, and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and add soy sauce mixture. Cook, basting salmon continuously with sauce, just until sauce is thickened and coats fish and salmon is opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer salmon to a plate, leaving sauce behind; let sit until cool enough to handle.
Step 4
Remove skin from salmon; discard or enjoy as a cook’s treat. Transfer flesh to a medium bowl and flake with a fork. Spoon sauce over and mix, breaking up salmon, until incorporated and mixture is mostly homogeneous. Let salmon filling cool completely.
Step 5
Set up a workstation with a small bowl of water, a small bowl of salt, cooked rice (it should still be warm but cool enough to handle), salmon filling, and eight 2″-wide strips toasted nori.
Step 6
To make 1 onigiri, scoop ½ cup rice onto work surface. Dip your hands in water to moisten, then rub with a little salt. (This prevents the rice from sticking to your hands and also flavors the onigiri.) Cupping rice in your nondominant hand, make a shallow well in center of rice mound and fill with 1 Tbsp. salmon filling. Using your hands and moistening them as needed, gently but firmly shape rice into a ball, enclosing filling.
Step 7
Place rice ball back on work surface and press to flatten slightly. Using the flat side of a wet chef’s knife, gently push ball into a triangle shape. Wrap a strip of nori around 1 side. Repeat with remaining rice, salmon filling, and nori.
Do ahead: Onigiri (without nori) can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap individually in plastic and chill, or freeze up to 3 weeks. If frozen, unwrap and microwave in 15-second bursts until warmed through; wrap with nori.
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James Anderson
