While inari sushi is often as simple as sushi rice stuffed into inari-age—deep-fried tofu pockets—the rice can be mixed with other ingredients. This version features a mix of carrots, mushroom, cucumber and pickled daikon.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup short-grained sushi rice
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 medium-small carrot, diced
- 3 ounces shiitake mushrooms (about 9), stemmed and diced
- 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 kirby cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 ounce Japanese yellow pickled daikon (about a 2-inch-long piece), diced
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
- 12 prepared deep-fried tofu pockets (inari-age), patted dry on paper towels and opened
- Daikon radish sprouts, for garnish, optional
- Ground sasho pepper, as needed (see Cook’s Note)
Instructions
- Whisk the vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine the rice, water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Wrap the pan’s lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. (Make sure the towel’s edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Bring to a boil, lower the heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Remove the rice from the heat (don’t uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with the rice, using a wooden spoon. Spread it out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
- Pour about 1 inch of water into a large saucepan and set up a collapsible steamer inside. Bring the water to boil, put the carrots and mushrooms in the steamer, cover, and steam until tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the carrots and mushrooms to a large bowl, add the remaining 2 teaspoons salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds, and stir to combine. Let cool.
- When the vegetable mixture has cooled, add the cucumber, pickled daikon, lime juice, and lime zest and toss to combine. Add the rice and, using a rubber spatula, lightly mix with the vegetable mixture.
- Set a small bowl of water beside you. Lightly wet your hands and form the vegetable rice into 12 small football-like shapes. Stuff the rice into the tofu pockets and press the sides together. Stuff a few tuffs of radish sprouts in the sides, if using. Stand the tofu packages up on a serving platter and sprinkle with the sansho. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.
- Serving suggestions: Pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.
Reviews
Hi,
Great recipe, raring to go and cook it now! It reminds me of a post by Yuki who does Japanese cookery lessons in London, she wrote about making your own Japanese udon noodles, so yummy!
T23
This recipe certainly looks good but speaking as someone who is of Japanese origin, the true inari sushi doesn’t have the bells and whistles. Quite frankly you don’t need all the extra ingredients and the traditional recipe is quite simple. Only containing soya sauce, sugar, mirin, salt and water. This mixture was used to cook the tofu pouches in until the liquid was gone. The key is that you enjoy the sweet flavour of the tofu pouches along side the rice which contains a hint of rice vinegar. So simple yet so flavourful.
Easy to make and prepare for. I use this sushi recipe for people who are not comfortable with the idea of eating sushi. Since I usually prepare it with the guest(s), they are more apt to try diffrent kinds of sushi after they learn how it is made.
I like switching it up a bit by marinating the tofu the day before with homemade teriyaki sauce.
This recipe for Inari-zushi isn’t bad, it just isn’t like most I’ve had before. All of the Inari-zushi I had in Japan was much simpler. At Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Inari-zushi was just sushi rice, fried tofu pouches, and white sesame seeds.