Green Girl Goodies, April 2014
Featuring information from “Japanese
Homestyle Cooking” by Tokiko Suzuki
We all have our favorite childhood
foods; the foods that bring back memories of carefree days, endless hours of
outdoor play and games with siblings, family and friends. Inari is at the top of this list for me. To those unfamiliar with this tasty treat,
Inari-zushi is known in common language as stuffed tofu puff sushi. The delicious sweet and savory tofu pouches
can be stuffed with simple sushi rice or sushi rice with sesame seeds and/or cooked
vegetables like mushrooms and carrots. I
tend to be a purist and like to let the flavor of the pouch speak for itself so
I stuff the pouches with just sushi rice.
When you prepare the pouches at home the flavor is much more pronounced
than the store bought version.
The tofu pouches used to make Inari are
called “aburage”. They can be purchased
at a Japanese Market like Uwajimaya in the frozen section. They are made with Dashi, the basic stock
that provides the smoky underlying flavors of Japanese broths and sauces. Dashi is made with kombu (kelp) and bonito
(fish flakes) so is not vegetarian. Both
the kombu and bonito are also available at a Japanese market.
Hope these bring a smile to your face
as they do to mine.
Here are some tips to expedite the preparation
process:
If you chose to use Dashi stock,
start that before starting anything else.
The recipe is below. Next start
the tofu pouches. While they are
cooking, get your sushi rice started and if you are using vegetable fillings,
cook these now as well so they can cool before being stuffed into the pouches.
Dashi Stock
Yield 3 cups
3 ½ cups Water
1 piece Kombu (4x2”)
1 oz Bonito Flakes
-
Using
a slightly damp towel, wipe the dirt and sand off the kombu. Leave the white powder on the surface as it
provides the savory taste.
-
Place
the kombu in a pan and cook over medium heat, removing the kombu as soon as the
water begins to bubble. If it is left in
too long the stock becomes smelly and cloudy.
-
Once
the water is at a rolling boil, add the bonito.
Turn off the heat after 30 seconds to a minute or the stock will become
too strong-smelling.
-
Wait
until the flakes sink. DO NOT STIR or
the liquid will become cloudy.
-
Strain
the mixture thru a cheesecloth or very thin towel inside a strainer. Squeeze the towel to get any excess liquid
out. Your dashi is now ready to
use. It can be kept properly
refrigerated for up to 1 week but the flavor is better if used within 3 – 4 days.
For the Tofu Pouch:
Yield 20 pieces
10 Aburage (deep-fried tofu)
3 cups Dashi stock or water if you
want them to be vegetarian
½ c Sugar
¼ c + 1 tb Mirin
¼ c Soy Sauce
-
Before
you begin to prepare the aburage, put a couple cups of water on the stove to
boil. Next place the aburage on a
cutting board and roll a chopstick across it once or twice, making it open
easily.
-
Cut
the aburage in half and carefully open it to make a pouch.
-
Place
the opened pouches in a bamboo or mesh strainer, trying not to let them
overlap. Pour the boiling water over the
aburage evenly to remove excess oil.
-
Once
the pouches are ready, bring the dashi stock (or water if making them
vegetarian) to a boil and add the prepared aburage. Add the sugar and simmer over medium heat for
3 – 4 minutes.
-
Next
add the mirin and soy sauce. Place a
small lid directly on the aburage and cook until the liquid is reduced by 90%.
-
Press
the lid down until the liquid is completely gone, reducing the heat as needed
so as not to burn the pouches.
-
Remove
the seasoned pouches and spread them evenly on a cooling rack to completely
cool before you stuff them with rice.
-
Once
the pouches are cooled, they are ready to be stuffed. If you are using sesame seeds and/or
vegetables, mix them in with your sushi rice before stuffing. Next, form your rice into a small ball and
stuff it gently into the pouch. I don’t
like them too full because I like the pouch flavor to be front and center but
you can stuff them as full as you would like.
Once stuffed, the pouches can hold covered and properly refrigerated for
up to 3 days. The pouches alone can be
held for up to 5 days, covered and properly refrigerated.
Basic Quick and Easy Sushi Rice
3 cups Calrose Rice
3 cups Water
-
Rinse
the rice 2 – 3 times to remove any sediment and bran. Place the rice in the rice cooker and start
it cooking.
-
While
the rice is cooking, mix until the salt and sugar are dissolved:
¼ c Rice Vinegar
2 tb Sugar
1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt
-
Once
the rice is done, gently mix the vinegar mixture into the rice using a rice
paddle. Use a glass or wooden dish or bowl
so the metal doesn’t react with the vinegar.
Look for more detailed sushi rice preparation techniques coming soon on
Green Girl Goodies!
Up Next….
Simple Sesame Tofu Stir Fry
