Sesame Rice Balls with Red Pepper Dipping Sauce

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; drain well in a large sieve.

Combine rice and 2 cups water in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and let stand 10 minutes. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook at a rapid boil (lid will be rattling and foam may drip down outside of pan) 5 minutes, or until water is absorbed.

Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

Transfer warm rice to a large wooden bowl and sprinkle vinegar over it, a little at a time, while gently tossing with a flat wooden paddle or spoon so vinegar is absorbed and rice cools as it is aerated. Cool to room temperature.

Stir together ginger and wasabi paste and remove edamame beans from pods.

Have ready a bowl of warm water (for dipping hands and spoon) and a double-thickness 12-inch square of plastic wrap. Holding plastic in palm of 1 hand, put an edamame bean in center and invert a packed tablespoon of rice on top of bean. Gather plastic up around rice and twist tightly to form a ball (bean should still be visible). Unwrap, leaving plastic in your hand, and, going in from side opposite bean, poke a dampened finger into center of ball and fill with 1/4 teaspoon ginger mixture. Close rice over mixture and twist plastic tightly to re-form ball, then flatten slightly.

Remove rice ball from plastic.

Sprinkle sesame seeds over top and sides of rice ball, pressing lightly to adhere (do not coat bean with seeds).

Transfer rice ball, bean side up, to a plate.

Make more rice balls in same manner.

Serve rice balls with dipping sauce.

• 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.