• 2 1/2 cups cooked, still warm short-grain brown rice
• Natto miso sauce:
  • 5 tablespoons (rounded) natto, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons miso, preferably mixed miso (made of 1 tablespoon white miso and 1tablespoon brown miso)
  • 2 or 3 walnuts, roasted and chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon pine nuts, roasted and chopped
  • 1 white stem of leek, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sake (rice wine)
  • 1 teaspoon mirin (Japanese sweet cooking rice wine)

1. In a mixing bowl, add the miso, sake, and mirin and stir well.
2. Add the remaining ingredients of the natto miso sauce and stir to combine.
3. Divide the rice into 4 portions and make rice balls.
4. Spread the natto miso sauce on the rice balls.
5. Bake in a hot oven until the rice balls are crisp. Serve hot. Serves 2.