Inari Sushi (Oinarisan)

Also called oinarisan in a more informal way in Japan, inari sushi is a simple and fun to make sushi. Just rice balls inside a deep-fried tofu bag, enjoy!

Serves 4 (or 12 inari)

Ingredients

• 250g Clearspring Sushi Brown Rice
• Clearspring Sushi Ginger (to taste)
• 2tbsp Clearspring Sushi Rice Seasoning
  or
• 2tbsp Clearspring Shiso Condiment
• 6 deep Fried Tofu (Aburaage) pockets*
• 1 piece of Clearspring Kombu
• 4 Clearspring Shiitake Mushrooms
• 2tbsp Clearspring Shoyu Soya Sauce
• 3tbsp Clearspring Mikawa Mirin

*although Aburaage is not available in many shops, you will be able to get them in Japanese food speciality shops.

Method

1. Prepare the two dashi by soaking separately the kombu in 150ml water and the shiitake in 50ml and leave for later.
2. Cook the brown rice as instructed on pack.
3. Cut the tofu pockets in 2 and open them like little pouches by separating the two folds.
4. Add them to boiling water and leave them for 10minutes (the pockets will get softer by the time you use them).
5. Drain the pockets and put them in a saucepan to further cook them: add the kombu and shiitake dashi and the mirin. Then add the 3 tablespoons of shoyu in 3 times by pouring it over the pockets. Cook the pockets on medium heat until absorption of the liquid (it can take up to 25 minutes).
6. Once the rice is ready, add the shiso condiment or the sushi rice seasoning and mix.
7. Once the rice has cooled down, take a handful of rice and form a "rectangular" ball of rice with your hands. Use one hand as a mould and the other one to shape the rice ball.
8. Insert the ball into the tofu pocket and re-close
9. Serve with sliced sushi ginger.

Recipe by Ohka