Ingredients
Method
- Prep Inari Age: If you want to make homemade inari age, start by making them first.
- Rinse the rice: Place ¾ cup uncooked short- or medium-grain white rice in a bowl and rinse it about three times until the water is clear.
- Cook the rice:- Using a Rice Cooker or Slow Cooker: Transfer rinsed rice and add ¾ cup water to the cooker. Soak for at least 30 minutes, then start the cooker and let it finish as per settings.- Using a Pot on the Stovetop: Transfer rinsed rice and add ¾ cup water to the pot. Soak for at least 30 minutes. Cover and heat on medium until it boils, then reduce to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. (Avoid lifting the lid while cooking.)
- Make the Sushi Vinegar: In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt until the salt dissolves. Scoop out ½ tablespoon and set it aside to wet your hands later when shaping the rice.
- Make the Sushi Rice: Once the rice is ready, transfer it to a large bowl. Add the sushi vinegar and ½ tablespoon roasted white sesame seeds. Using a rice paddle, tilt it at about a 45-degree angle and mix with a slicing motion, cutting through the rice from top to bottom. Gently scoop from the bottom to combine everything evenly without crushing the grains. Repeat until the rice is mixed well.
- Cool the Rice: Use an uchiwa (Japanese fan) or something thin and flexible like a plastic cutting board to fan the rice and cool it down until it stops steaming. Spread the rice thinly along the sides of the bowl, then cover it with a tightly wrung-out damp cloth. Let it sit until it’s cool to the touch (don’t wait until the rice is completely cool because it’ll be dry and hard to shape).
- Prep the Inari Age Pouches: If the inari age is too wet, gently pat it dry with a paper towel. Carefully open each pouch and fold the tip outward.
- Shape the Rice: Wet your hands with the sushi vinegar you set aside earlier. Scoop about a lightly packed ¼ cup of rice and shape it into a small bale (oval) shape. If you run out of sushi vinegar, you can just use water to wet your hands. Soaking the measuring cup in water helps prevent the rice from sticking, but make sure to pour out the water before scooping the rice.
- Fill the Inari Age: Gently stuff each pouch with rice and press lightly so the rice gets down to the bottom. You can add a little chopped pickled ginger on top if you’d like. Then fold the open end closed and place the pouch seam-side down.
Notes
- Inari age: Seasoned deep-fried tofu pouches. You can use store-bought, but I recommend my homemade maple inari age. It’s less salty and more balanced.
- Rice: Use medium- or short-grain Japanese rice. Avoid other types of rice because the texture doesn’t work for sushi.
- Rice vinegar: Use plain, unsweetened rice vinegar. Skip seasoned or sushi vinegar blends, which already contain sugar and salt.
- Rice Mix-Ins: Mix in extras for flavor: ume (pickled plum), shiso, gari, fresh ginger, or yuzu peel.
- Topping Ideas: For festive hare versions, leave the pouch open and top with scrambled egg, soboro, shrimp, sashimi, ikura, or colorful veggies like cucumber, snap peas, or lotus root.
- What to Serve with Inari Sushi: Great with any Japanese dish! For a bento, pair with tamagoyaki, karaage, and veggie sides like sunomono, gomaae, or simmered kabocha. Miso soup is always a win.
- Storage & Reheating Instructions: Wrap each piece and store in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave, about 30 seconds per piece, just until warm.
