Name: Sesame Rice Balls with Red Pepper Dipping Sauce
Cook time: 2 hr
Total time: 2 hr
Yield: Makes about 40 hors d’oeuvres
Ingredients: 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped; 3/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes; 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice; 2 cups water; 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar; 1/3 cup minced pickled ginger; 1 tablespoon wasabi paste, or 1 1/2 tablespoons wasabi powder stirred to a paste with 2 teaspoons water; 20 frozen edamame (soybeans in the pod), thawed; 1/4 cup toasted black sesame seeds

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Sesame Rice Balls with Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

Cooks' notes:

• If you use fresh edamame, cook the pods briefly in boiling water.
• Dipping sauce may be made 1 day ahead and rice balls 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered tightly with plastic wrap.

Recipe notes

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