This inari sushi recipe makes 20 sweet-savory tofu pockets filled with seasoned Japanese rice. You can use ready-seasoned aburaage for a quick preparation or simmer plain aburaage from scratch for deeper control over the sweetness and saltiness.
Cool the rice until it is warm or at room temperature before filling. Rice that is hot, wet, or packed firmly can split the tofu pockets.
Inari sushi recipe: ingredients and yield
Yield: 20 pieces
Prep time: 25 minutes, plus cooking and cooling
Cook time: 30 minutes for rice; 15 minutes for plain pockets
- 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice
- 2 1/4 cups water, or the amount specified for your rice
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 20 ready-seasoned tofu pockets, or 10 plain aburaage sheets, cut in half
For optional homemade seasoning for plain aburaage, use:
- 1 1/4 cups dashi
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
For garnish, prepare 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, finely sliced shiso, chopped scallions, or a little furikake. These are optional; the rice and tofu pockets provide the essential flavor.
Prepare the sushi rice for an inari recipe
- Rinse the rice in cool water three or four times, gently stirring with your fingers, until the water is mostly clear. Drain it for 10 minutes.
- Combine the rice and water in a rice cooker or saucepan. Let it soak for 20 to 30 minutes, then cook. Once cooked, leave it covered for 10 minutes so the grains finish steaming.
- While the rice cooks, stir the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat just until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil the mixture.
- Transfer the hot rice to a wide bowl. Drizzle the vinegar mixture over it and fold with a rice paddle or spatula, lifting and turning rather than stirring forcefully. This keeps the grains intact.
- Spread the rice into a thin layer and let steam escape for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn it once or twice so it cools evenly. The finished rice should feel slightly warm or close to room temperature, moist but not wet, and sticky enough to hold a loose shape.
Do not refrigerate the rice before filling unless necessary. Cold rice hardens and becomes difficult to shape without pressing it tightly. If the rice looks glossy with pooling liquid, continue cooling it before using; wet rice can make the pockets soggy and more likely to tear.
How to make inari sushi pockets: ready-seasoned or plain aburaage
For canned or packaged seasoned pockets, drain them in a colander for about 5 minutes. Press each pocket gently against the side of the colander to remove excess syrup, but do not wring it out. Use a fingertip to open the pocket from the cut edge. If the pockets are stuck together, separate them slowly while they are at room temperature.
Ready-seasoned pockets vary in size and sweetness. Taste a small piece before filling. If it is very sweet, use slightly less rice per pocket or add a small pinch of salt to the rice seasoning. If the pockets seem dry, let them sit in their drained syrup for a few minutes, then drain again.
For plain aburaage, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the sheets and blanch for 1 minute to remove excess oil. Drain and let them cool enough to handle. Press each sheet gently between your palms to remove water, then cut it in half to make 20 rectangular pockets. Open each half carefully with your finger.
Combine the dashi, sugar, soy sauce, and mirin in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, add the aburaage, and place a small lid or piece of parchment directly on top. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, turning the pockets once, until they absorb the seasoning and become supple. Turn off the heat and let them cool in the liquid for at least 10 minutes. Drain gently before filling.
The pockets should be pliable and moist but not dripping. If a pocket feels stiff, return it to the warm seasoning liquid for a few minutes. If it tears while opening, use another pocket rather than forcing it wider.
Inarizushi recipe: fill, shape, and serve
- Arrange the drained pockets with the open sides facing up. Keep your hands, a small bowl of water, and the rice nearby. Lightly dampen your hands so the rice does not stick; excess water will make the filling wet.
- Divide the rice into 20 portions of about 2 rounded tablespoons each, or 30 to 40 grams. Shape each portion into a loose oval with your fingertips. Do not compress it into a firm ball.
- Insert one finger into a tofu pocket to hold it open. Slide the rice inside with the other hand, pushing it down only enough to reach the bottom. Leave a little space at the opening; overfilling stretches and tears the tofu.
- Fold the top edge of the pocket over the rice. For the classic presentation, place the folded seam underneath. You can also leave the pocket open and sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds or furikake.
- Repeat with the remaining rice and pockets. Wipe away stray rice and arrange the inarizushi seam-side down on a serving plate.
The right filling should hold together when lifted but should not feel tightly compressed. If rice falls out, use a slightly larger portion or shape it more evenly before filling. If the pocket bulges and the edges pull apart, remove a spoonful of rice. A neat inari should have a gently rounded top, a soft tofu wrapper, and visible grains rather than a packed, dense center.
Serve the inari sushi at room temperature within a few hours. Add sesame seeds, shiso, scallions, or finely chopped pickled ginger just before serving so the garnishes stay fresh.