How to Make Inari Sushi

One of the cheaper and more popular types of sushi in the market nowadays is the Inari Sushi. It is made by stuffing sushi rice, and even some vegetables into small pouches of deep fried bean curd or tofu, also more popularly known in its Japanese term as aburage. Instead of the usual Nori seaweed or soybean paper, aburage is used in this sushi. Aburage can either be sold in packets or packaged in cans, and is widely distributed throughout most Japanese specialty stores or supermarkets. This type of sushi is also called by some famous nicknames, like pocket-sushi and brown-bag sushi. But whatever the monikers may be, this type of sushi is easy to make, less expensive, and tastes really good!nnFollowing the simple procedures below can have you making your own Inari sushi in no time.nnInari Sushi Rice RecipesnnIngredients:nn4 deep fried tofu pieces, cut into halfnn2 cups prepared sushi ricenn3 tablespoons sugarnn4 tablespoons soy saucenn3 tablespoons Mirin or sweet Japanese cooking winenn1 and ¼ cup Dashi or fish stocknnSaltnn¼ cup shredded carrots (par-boiled)nn1 teaspoon sesame seeds (toasted) optionalnnPickled ginger (for garnish)nnnStepsnn1. Since the tofu is deep-fried, it is necessary to get rid of the excess oils. Do this by soaking them in boiling water. Cool for a while, and then cut them into half. This makes 8 tofu pouches in all.nn2. Combine soy sauce, sugar, dashi and mirin in a small pan. Bring to a boil over slow to medium heat. Add the tofu pockets to the boiling sauce. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, over slow heat, and completely covered. After 20 minutes, turn off heat, and drain the tofu. Squeeze them dry and set aside.nn3. Combine sushi rice, carrots, and the toasted sesame seeds.nn4. Stuff the rice mixture into the cut tofu, carefully folding over the ends to secure it.nn5. Arrange in a plate and garnish with the pickled ginger.nnThis recipe yields 8 servings of Inari SushinnnSome useful tips:nn• Some canned tofu are seasoned and already cut into serving pouches. Therefore, you can do away with the simmering in soy-sauce and mirin mixture. However, boiling the tofu in the sauce is most ideal, as it will ensure more flavor.nn• Mirin is a kind of Japanese cooking wine, sort of a sweeter version of the usual sake. The mixture in making this wine usually consists of steamed mochigome rice, shochu (Japanese liquor), and komekoji (rice yeast). These are then fermented to make mirin. There are actually two types of mirin available in the market. Hon mirin contains 14 percent alcohol. Shin mirin has less than 1 percent alcohol, and is therefore more ideal for cooking. Shin Mirin is often bottled and has a yellow gold color. Mirin is also used to prepare seasoning for sushi rice.nn• Aburage is often confused with Atsuage. While both are soybean products, and are deep fried, aburage is of the thinner variety. Atsuage is also triangular in shape, thick, and ideal for simmered soups, added in stir fries, or served with soy sauce. Aburage is often shaped into squares and rectangles. This makes the aburage perfect when stuffed with sushi rice and made into Inari Sushi.nn• Dashi or fish stock is relatively easy to make. A cup of Katsuobushi or dried fish flakes can be combined with 2-3 cups of water, and then boiled over low heat. Then the fish flakes can be strained to retain the fish stock.nnnWant to make sushi at home, sushi that are much better than those in sushibar? Can't find the detailed guide? Want to see more Pictures of real sushi? Then http://sushicup.com is for you! Sushi Cooking Guide