Sesame Rice Balls with Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ¾ cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon wasabi paste, or 1 1/2 tablespoons wasabi powder
• 1 red bell pepper
• ¼ cup black sesame seeds
• 20 frozen edamame (soybeans in the pod)
• + 4 more ingredients
• • ¹/₃ cup pickled ginger
  • ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice

Purée bell pepper with vinegar and sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a small heavy saucepan and stir in red pepper flakes. Simmer 5 minutes, then pour through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids. Rinse rice in a bowl in several changes of cold water until water is almost clear...

View full recipe at Epicurious