Made a batch of inari sushi at home and wanted to share a few tips. The key is getting the balance right between the seasoned aburaage (fried tofu) pockets and the sushi rice filling. I season the tofu with a savory-sweet mix of soy sauce, sake, and sugar. For the sushi rice I use a higher ratio of rice vinegar (relative to the sugar and salt) to make it extra tangy. This creates a nice contrast between the juicy tofu wrapper and the bright, flavorful rice inside. To give the rice a little something extra, I like to fold in chopped gari (pickled sushi ginger) and toasted sesame seeds for texture and aroma.
One trick: give the tofu a gentle roll with a rolling pin before cutting. It helps separate the layers so they open up more easily into pockets. Also, don’t overfill them; shaping the rice into short cylinders makes wrapping much smoother. If you want to give it a try, I’ve posted a video about it.
by norecipes