Homemade Inari (Inarizushi)

 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!

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Simple Sesame Tofu Stir Fry