00:00I've been making Inari Sushi for decades and this article opened my eyes in many ways,
00:05says one of my readers.
00:07But wait until you taste this dashi-soaked perfection, let's start cooking.
00:11For a printable version of this recipe, visit my website, just google Inari Sushi statue
00:17to find me.
00:18Roll and flatten 8 sheets of fried tofu pouch with a rolling pin.
00:22We cook thin the inside to loosen so they'll open easily later.
00:26These are called aburage, which is thinly fried tofu, preferably choose the square kind.
00:33Rectangles vary in length, squares are consistent, and consistency is a friend when you're stuffing
00:40things.
00:41Kyoage and Mukashiage are delicious in their own worlds, but they're thicker and awkward
00:47turn into neat pockets.
00:49And yes, Japan sells pre-seasoned pouches for Inari if you want the shortcut, but today,
00:55we're doing it from scratch for the ultimate result.
00:59Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the pouches.
01:03They will float so use a drop lid or a lightweight heatproof plate to keep them under.
01:10Two minutes is plenty, this is to rinse off old oil so the flavour is clean.
01:19Drain them in a fine mesh sieve, rinse with cold water, then gently squeeze out the excess.
01:27Now trim one edge of each pouch, this will be the entry point for the rice, keep the droplet
01:34nearby, we'll use it again.
01:37Time to make the marinade.
01:39In a small saucepan add 2 tablespoons of Japanese light soy sauce, which is Usukuchi Shoyu, 200ml
01:46of dashi stock, 1 tablespoon of mirin, and 25g of turbinado sugar.
01:53Bring it to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves.
01:57You can use regular Japanese soy sauce instead, just the final colour will be darker, and if
02:03you want to keep this vegetarian, vegan, use plant-based dashi made from dried shiitake
02:08mushrooms and konbu here.
02:11Turbinado sugar is my pick here, it dissolves slowly, resists burning, and gives a better
02:17rounded flavour, but you can use granated sugar or light brown sugar if that's what you have.
02:23Slip the pouches into the pot, drop lid on, and simmer until the liquid reduces to one third
02:30of its original volume.
02:35Transfer everything to a sealable heatproof container to cool,
02:44then lid on, and marinate in the fridge for at least an hour, overnight if you prep beforehand.
02:51While the pouches soak up all the sweet salty goodness, make the sushi rice.
02:56Mix 3 quarters teaspoon of salt, half tablespoon of sugar, and one tablespoon of rice vinegar until
03:04the sugar dissolves. Pour over 320g of freshly cooked Japanese
03:12sugar green rice in a wide bowl or sushi-oke. My sushi-oke is too big for this, so I'm
03:17using a regular
03:18mixing bowl today. Mix with light slicing motions and fan as you go to cool it quickly,
03:25and give it a glossy finish. Open each marinated pouch carefully along the cottage, wet your hands,
03:39divide the rice into 8 equal portions, and shape each into a small barrel.
03:46Gently push each rice portion into its tofu pouch. Use the back of a spoon to press the rice down
03:53lightly,
03:54ensuring it fits the pouch completely without crushing those perfectly cooked grains.
03:59Here's where traditional inari zushi gets its classic look. Fold excess tofu pouch over the rice
04:05twice to create a neat seal. This double fold ensures nothing escapes and gives you that familiar
04:12rectangular shape that's been beloved since the Edo period. But wait, let's talk about the modern twist.
04:20Nosei inari, literally meaning topped inari, flips tradition on its head by showcasing colorful
04:27toppings on open pouches. If you want to try this Instagram-worthy variation, simply trim the excess
04:35tofu with scissors instead of folding it, leaving about 1cm to create walls that contain your toppings.
04:42Stand the edges up and add toppings right onto the rice. Here are three combos from me. First,
04:50we have canned crab. I've squeezed the excess moisture out of this and I'm placing it straight in
04:55and topping it with some lemon zest. Next up, I've got some boiled shrimp and I'm just lining them up,
05:07alternating with small lemon slices. It's simple but it looks beautiful.
05:15Finally, I have some cubed smoked salmon and I'm pairing it with some marinated salmon roll for an
05:21Oyako-inspired narizushi. This one can also be made with rose shimigure salmon and goes perfectly with a
05:29small blob of wasabi.
05:38These narizushi represent more than just a delicious snack, their edible history connecting us to the
05:44street vendors of old Edo and the mythology of fox deities.
05:50Want even more delicious recipes? Grab my free cookbook from the link in the description.
05:56Okay, let's go over the ingredients one more time and if you're ready to cook,
06:00grab the written instructions by clicking the full recipe box with a picture that's about to pop up
06:05on your screen. Here we go, the link to the full recipe is on the screen for you now and
06:10if you want
06:10to watch more similar videos, don't miss my classic recipe playlist popping up on your screen as well.
06:15Thanks so much for watching and I hope to see you in the next one. Bye!
06:18I'll see you in the next one. Bye!
Comments