Flower Shaped Rice Balls
Flower Shaped Rice Balls
Pretty Lunchbox Idea: Vienna Sausage Flower Rice Balls
I had to quickly pack a lunchbox for the kids, so I made these Vienna sausage flower rice balls using ingredients I had on hand. They’re so cute and perfect for little ones!
Main Ingredients- Vienna sausages (small bag) 90g
- Cooked white rice 2 bowls
- Zucchini 1/2
- Onion 1
- Carrot 60g
- Pickled radish (danmuji) 100g
- Ketchup, a little
Seasoning & Others- Cooking oil 2 Tbsp
- Salt 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1/2 Tbsp
- Cooking oil 2 Tbsp
- Salt 1/2 Tbsp
- Sesame oil 1/2 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables that will add color and flavor to the rice balls. Finely mince 1 onion and 1/2 zucchini. Mincing them very finely will help them blend well into the fried rice and create a softer texture, making them easier for children to eat.
Step 2
Next, prepare the carrot and pickled radish which will enhance the texture and taste of the fried rice. Finely mince 60g of carrot and 100g of pickled radish, just like the other vegetables. The savory flavor of the pickled radish will provide an excellent seasoning base for the fried rice.
Step 3
Now, let’s create cute flower patterns on the Vienna sausages, the stars of our rice balls! Cut the Vienna sausages in half lengthwise. For the first sausage, make cross-shaped cuts, then make deeper cuts in an ‘X’ shape. For the second flower shape, make alternating cuts from each tip of the cross shape, and then make long vertical cuts to create a 3D net-like flower. Be careful not to cut all the way to the ends.
Step 4
Blanch the cut Vienna sausages in boiling water for about 1 minute, or until the flower patterns bloom nicely. Be careful not to over-boil, as this can cause the shapes to lose their form. After blanching, immediately rinse them in cold water to set the shape and drain well. This process also removes excess oil from the sausages, making them cleaner to eat.
Step 5
Now, let’s make delicious fried rice. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. Add the minced carrot and zucchini and stir-fry for about 1 minute to lightly soften the vegetables. Then, add the minced onion and 2 bowls of cooked white rice, and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes. It’s important to fry the rice until the grains are separate and slightly toasted. Finally, add the minced pickled radish and stir-fry everything together.
Step 6
Season the fried rice. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, and stir-fry quickly for about 1 minute until all ingredients are well combined. Drizzle in the sesame oil just before turning off the heat to add a nutty aroma.
Step 7
Transfer the cooked fried rice to a large bowl and let it cool slightly. The fried rice should be cool enough to handle comfortably before shaping. Once cooled, shape the fried rice into round, flattened balls, about the size of a golf ball. Use your index finger to gently press the center of each ball, creating an indentation where the Vienna sausage flower will be placed.
Step 8
Now it’s time to decorate the rice balls with the Vienna sausage flowers! Place the blanched Vienna sausage flowers into the indentations you made. Gently shape the rice ball around the flower with your hands to ensure it stays in place. Add a tiny dot of ketchup in the center of each Vienna sausage flower for a visually appealing touch.
Step 9
Arrange the beautifully completed flower rice balls on a large plate, or pack them directly into a lunchbox for a neat presentation. Their bite-sized shape makes them easy for children to eat, and even picky eaters who dislike vegetables will enjoy these fun, flower-shaped rice balls.
Step 10
Arrange the rice balls attractively in the lunchbox. You can create an even more elaborate and pretty lunch by using leftover Vienna sausage flowers, thinly sliced pickled radish, imitation crab sticks, or ham cut into flower shapes or other decorative forms. Express your love with a homemade lunchbox full of care for a special occasion!
