This Inari Sushi recipe brings back some of the fondest memories that I have of growing up. I remember hearing my mother call my name and say "David! Come get Inari Sushi, itsa ready!". They were ohhh, soooo good.
Of course, I grew up and later had my own family, making it for them many times when they were growing up.
Andnow, they too (the cycle of life I guess...) are grown, but hopefully Iwas able to create some of the same memories for my children that Istill have to this day of eating freshly made salty, sweet Inari Sushi.
If you want to create similar memories for your family, keep reading and follow my mother's inari sushi recipe so you can make Inari Sushi just like my mother use to make for me.
How to make Inari Sushi using my 80 year old Mother's Inari Sushi recipe
Ingredients
You should be able to find inarizushi-no-moto (below in can) at your local Japanese store or sometimes in your local grocery store. It will be cheaper if you can find it there. If not, then you can order them from Amazon below.
Sushi Rice(for variety mix one or a combination of the following into the sushi rice to stuff in the inari bag:black or white sesame seeds, seasoned sh*take mushrooms (chopped up), seasoned kampyo (chopped up), pickled ginger slivers, umeboshi (pickled plums (chopped up) )
1 canInarizushi-no-moto (seasoned) or 1 package aburage (unseasoned)
1 cup traditional homemade dashi (or 1 cup of boiling water + 1 tsp instant dashi powder if you don't have homemade dashi made from katsuobushi)
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp Sake (or 3 Tbsp Sake if you have no Mirin)
1 1/2 Tbsp Mirin (or 3 Tbsp Mirin if you have no Sake)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
Preparation
You can buy Inarizushi-no-moto (friedbean curd) bags already seasoned (see pictures above).
Or if you can buy abura age unseasoned (lighter, larger bags on the bottom compared to darker seasoned ones from a can above),then you will have to prepare it properly first before using it.
Eitherway, my mother always cooked the already prepared fried bean curd bags(that usually come in a can) so if you follow this recipe, you'll becooking the abura age no matter which version you buy.
Andalthough you can eat the prepared bags right out of the can and they dotaste fine, they don't taste as good as if they are "recooked" in yourown sauce base. To me, they taste like they have a cantaste so I always recook them.
But buying them in a can is cheaper as you can get around 16 bags (althoughsmaller) instead of the 4 you get when you buy the unprepared abura agefor almost the same price.
Youcan pick up abura age (unseasoned) in the refrigerated section of anyJapanese or some oriental grocery stores. You can sometimes find them onlinetoo, but I wasn't able to when I put up this recipe so I have no link for that.
Preparing unseasoned Abura Age for cooking using this Inari Sushi Recipe
1. First, lay the Abura age(unseasoned only) on the counter or cutting board and cover it withplastic wrap or put it in a plastic bag (like in the picture above).
2.Take a rolling pin or use a can and roll over the Aburage a few times. This willmake it easier to open the pocket later. Remove the saran wrap or remove from plastic bag.
3. Next, cut the square in half or at a diagonal, depending on which you prefer.
4. Boil the pouches in water for about 2minutes to remove excess oil. Remove the pouches from the water anddrain the water from the pot.
Cooking the Abura age or already preparedInarizushi-no-moto
5. Combine the dashi, sugar, sake, mirin and soy sauce in a pot. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer.
6. If you are cooking unseasoned abura age then simmer them for 12-15 minutes. If you are recooking the seasoned bags from a can then cook them for 7 to 8 minutes.
Puta small sheet of aluminum foil (with a few holes poked in it) shaped tofit inside the pot so that it rests on the liquid to keep pouchessubmerged while cooking.
Keep flipping them over and pushing them down if not using the foil suggestion to keep them down.
7. Remove the pouches from the pot and allow to cool before stuffing.
8. Carefully open the pocket of the inarizushi bag.
8. Dip fingers in Inari seasoningjuice (cooled and in your pot), tap them on a moist towel to remove theexcess and pick up a small handful of sushi rice, about the size of agolf ball.
9. Carefully stuff the rice into the Inari sushi pouch. Press down into the bag adding additional sushi rice until stuffed full.
10.Seasoned tofu pouches can be kept in an air tight container in therefrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for later use.
And there you have it. The very best and tastiest inari sushi recipe on the planet earth.
Enjoy!
FAQs
Inarizushi, or inari sushi, is a Japanese dish consisting of sushi rice stuffed inside fried tofu pouches (also known as aburaage or fried bean curd) that have been cooked in a dashi broth-forward mixture.
Why does inari taste sweet? ›
Soy Sauce – The most basic but compulsory flavoring that gives the broth its salty and savory taste. Sugar – You'll need sugar to balance the salty flavor from soy sauce, but feel free to adjust the amount. Mirin – It adds mild sweetness and umami.
What is the difference between Inari age and aburaage? ›
Inari Age (稲荷揚げ) are pouches of deep fried tofu (aburaage) that have been seasoned with sugar, mirin (and/or sake), soy sauce and a dashi based broth. It's sweet, slightly savory and deliciously juicy with each bite.
Is Inari supposed to be crunchy? ›
Essentially, it comprises a tofu pocket that has been cooked in dashi broth to absorb the flavor, before being squeezed (to remove excess liquid) and stuff with sushi rice. The pockets are then fried so that the outer layer is wonderfully crispy. The dish gets the name 'Inari' from a Japanese god of the same name.
Why is Inari so popular? ›
Inari, in Japanese mythology, god primarily known as the protector of rice cultivation. The god also furthers prosperity and is worshiped particularly by merchants and tradesmen, is the patron deity of swordsmiths and is associated with brothels and entertainers.
Do you eat inari hot or cold? ›
The 'pockets' may sound weird, but they are delicious. They can be bought at any Asian market and are found in the fridge section — they are kept cold and served cold. The inari pockets have a light sweet taste to them.
Are inari healthy? ›
The inari served in restaurants in Australia is often very unhealthy as it is high in calories, full of sugar and very oily. Restaurants often buy wholesale pre-made inari skins which last a very long time due to the high sugar content. If you wanna learn more about the truth behind inari you can read about it HERE.
Is Inari made of egg? ›
Inari sushi (稲荷寿司, いなり寿司), or Inarizushi as we call it in Japan, are made of sushi rice that we stuff inside seasoned deep-fried tofu pockets/pouches called Inari age. The tofu pockets are cooked in a dashi-based broth.
What do you put on top of inari? ›
Inari can be eaten in the plain form (no toppings, just the tofu pouch, and rice). This basic form is tasty and simple, but I prefer them with toppings. The toppings for inari sushi can really be anything such as meat, seafood, veggies, fruit, and more.
What does the fox mean in Inari? ›
Inari is also the patron deity of rice, agriculture, metal smithing, and prosperity. Important symbols of Inari include rice, granary keys, and the kitsune fox. The kitsune fox is the messenger of Inari, who receives protection in exchange for its help in carrying out Inari's work.
According to myth, Inari, as a goddess, was said to have come to Japan at the time of its creation amidst a harsh famine that struck the land. "She [Inari] descended from Heaven riding on a white fox, and in her hand she carried sheaves of cereal or grain. Ine, the word now used for rice, is the name for this cereal.
What is Japanese Inari? ›
Inari sushi is made by filling a pouch of seasoned fried tofu with sushi rice. It is named after the Shinto god Inari, who is said to have had a fondness for tofu. These tofu pouches are a portable, healthy, everyday vegetarian and vegan dish.
Do you eat inari with chopsticks? ›
Inari sushi is considered to be a very casual food which makes it ideal for picnics and boxed lunches. No chopsticks are needed since it can be eaten by hand just like onigiri. We've omitted the dashi in our recipe to make this inari sushi recipe, vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Can you reheat inari sushi? ›
Once you've prepared your inari sushi, you'll be able to keep it refrigerated for up to 48 hours. We suggest storing any leftovers you might have in a resealable box or a ziplock bag to keep in the flavours. Inari sushi is meant to be eaten cold, so you don't even need to worry about reheating!
How do you eat inari? ›
How Do You Eat Inari Sushi? Since this sushi is already nicely packed in little pouches, it is exceedingly easy to eat on the go without having to fear making a mess! You can eat it either with your hands or chopsticks, adding soy sauce only if you'd like – the aburaage already carries a lot of flavor.
Are Inari pockets healthy? ›
Inari sushi is when fried tofu pockets are filled with vinegared rice. Today, we wanted to offer a low-carb but protein-packed option. The best thing about this inari sushi is that it is full of healthy, nutritious goodies.
What is the outside of inari made of? ›
Inari skin is made from Aburaage, which is deep-fried silken tofu.
What kind of fish is Inari? ›
Inarizushi is made from Aburaage. Aburaage is deep fried tofu skin (it's actually deep fried twice- once at about 225 °F, and then again at about 400 °F) that is marinated with a sweet seasoning (recipes vary).
Does inari have fish in it? ›
Inari sushi is made by filling a pouch of seasoned fried tofu with sushi rice. It is named after the Shinto god Inari, who is said to have had a fondness for tofu. These tofu pouches are a portable, healthy, everyday vegetarian and vegan dish.
