So today I decided to finally tackle making Inari sushi after seeing those golden tofu pouches at the Japanese market for weeks. Had no clue what they were called until I Googled “sushi in bags” – turns out they’re called aburaage! Apparently Buddhist monks invented these in the 1800s by stuffing tofu skins with rice to replace meat offerings. Wild how food history works.
Getting My Stuff Together
First I gathered everything on my tiny kitchen counter:
- Those pre-fried tofu pouches from the refrigerated section
- Short grain rice (sticky rice is KEY here)
- Rice vinegar and sugar for seasoning
- Carrot strips for crunch
- Black sesame seeds because they look fancy
The Rice Struggle Was Real
Washed the rice like four times until the water ran clear – my arms were already tired. Cooked it in my rickety rice cooker praying it wouldn’t burn. While that steamed, mixed rice vinegar with a spoonful of sugar until it dissolved, pouring it over the hot rice like they showed in YouTube tutorials. Fanning that rice with a magazine while mixing nearly made me drop the bowl!
Transforming Tofu Pouches
Here’s where things got messy. The packaged pouches felt slimy out of the package. Simmered them in water mixed with soy sauce and sugar for 15 minutes until they turned this gorgeous caramel color. Squeezed each pouch like a sponge – hot juice squirted everywhere! Nearly burned my fingertips pressing them dry with paper towels.
Assembly Line Chaos
Grabbed the first pouch and tried to pry it open. Ripped the dang corner! Second attempt: gently massaged the sides until it bloomed like a little pouch. Scooped in rice halfway, shoved in carrot strings, topped with more rice until plump. Sprinkled sesame seeds only to realize they slid right off the warm rice. Had to pat them down like planting seeds!
The Grand Reveal
Made about eight before I got bored. Tasted one still warm – the sweet tofu skin with tangy rice is crazy addictive cold, but HOT? Absolute game changer. The vinegar rice cuts through the sweetness perfectly. Way easier than rolling maki, and they look adorable in bento boxes. Will totally cheat with store-bought pouches again, but maybe use chopsticks to stuff them next time – fingers still smell like vinegar!
