Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Inari

Everybody loves Inari SushiDSC_4422

It’s true! I have never, ever met people who don’t like this Japanese ultimate comfort food – vinegar rice stuffed in seasoned fried bean curd. With few ingredients – no fish is involved here - the recipe is also a simple affair and seems like there is no room for improvement, it’s perfect!DSC_4362

NHK’s Tameshite Gatten (試してガッテン) Tested and Assent (roughly translated) science team thought otherwise however… a nation wide taste test show they got 90% inari approval rating..What is their secret? Lose the sugar in the sushi rice. Adding sugar in both pouches and rice muddle the flavor. Really? I have to try their method. I have a inari expert who lives right under my roof and he is very honest.

Ingredients and Instruction for 12 inari sushi (Print recipe here)

  • 6 thin deep fried bean curd (油揚げ)DSC_4313 
  • 5 Tablespoons sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (I used gluten free soy sauce)
  • 300ml (1 and 1/2 cup) water
  • Just cooked warm rice (cook 2 rice cooker cups with 360ml of water in rice cooker). See step #3
  • 75 ml rice vinegar Note: not sushi vinegar
  • 4g of salt
  • 2 Tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds (optional)
  1. Remove some of the oil from fried bean curd by immersing in hot water for 3 minutes. Drain water and gently squeeze the water out. Cut in half then open the pouch. Watch Japanese YouTube on how to open easily here. Lay the un-cut bean curd in a single layer on the plate and microwave for 1 minute on 60% power, cut in half and voila!
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  2. Boil sugar, soy sauce and water in a medium sauce pan. Put fried bean curd in and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated at medium high heat. About 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan. Set aside.DSC_4330DSC_4338DSC_4341
  3. While the bean curds are cooking and cooling, cook rice if you have not done so already. You want a slightly firmer rice for this recipe.
  4. Mix vinegar and salt well in a small glass measuring cup. Set it aside.DSC_4348
  5. When the rice is done. divide rice into 6ths or 8ths in the rice cooker. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture from perimeter of rice cooker, then turn out to a large bowl. Fold over the rice with rice paddle while cooling down with a fan or magazine. Mix in the toasted sesame seeds at this point if using. Cover with moist towel until needed.
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  6. Stuff rice into the pouch –do not over stuff, you will probably have some left over rice. Have a small bowl of water nearby to moisten your hands to prevent rice from sticking to your hand. I turned the pouch inside out on some for fun looks. Serve with pickled ginger.DSC_4366
    We tested and we assent! This is a winner!

There are many wild chickens roaming around my daughter’s house in Hawaii. They are early risers and I can hear them through the open window…good for you but please let me sleep in…wait… that’s my grandchildren, “Go back to bed!”!

I heard my 3 years old grandson screaming one afternoon as he was being chased by one of the mean chickens.  I wish he could eat this chicken inari up as revenge.IMG_1291

Oink! A pig inari for my lunch.IMG_1295Fellow food blogger Cooking Gallery published a cook book ‘Bento Delight’ recently. I planned on purchasing it but life got in the way….you know. I have two problematic issues - that my fingers are too fat to make delicate character bento and the second, I don’t have patience. It’s going to be a fine read nonetheless.

Abundant! While I was in Hawaii, beside the strawberries, our gumi plant and raspberry shortcake are also waiting for me to devour them!DSC_4376DSC_4406DSC_4404Which I made trifle for Father’s Day. I spread the gumi jam my husband made on the pound cake I baked…team effort. DSC_4424DSC_4425DSC_4432

Father’s Day Sunday was hectic. Came home from church service, I hustled to fixed cream cheese center kimkatsu roll for dinner. Delish!IMG_1306

My children have a terrific dad. He scores high with the grandchildren also. 82110009This was taken in 1977 in Nagasaki, Japan. Nice hair!

18 comments:

  1. My mouth was watering while I read this. Yes! Of course we love Inari. I will have to try your method, or wait until you come back here to make it. It's pretty involved. So it seems much more gourmet than my method-- open inari package, stuff inari with rice. Also not as pretty.
    Mozely loved the way those bentos looked. Are those Quail eggs?
    Miss you! See you soon!

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    1. Thanks Mariko. I would love to make you and your family this inari. Yes! those are quail eggs, I like them.

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  2. I do love inari sushi. Your heart-shaped strawberry reminded me of why your food is so great . . . because you put a lot of LOVE into preparing them.

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    1. Thank you so much Jalna. Your video shooting is getting better. I can't wait to see more.

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  3. Beautiful inari sushi! I must make them one day too because I have always though if they only were slightly less sweet, I'd really love them... (I'm not a fan of sweetish savoury food unless it's also very spicy.) Thank you for inspiration.
    Hawaii sounds like lots of fun!

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  4. this looks so good never tried it would love to though

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    1. Thank you Rebecca. I'm envious of your garden...inspired too!

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  5. What a DELICIOUS post! Those homegrown berries are just irresistible! You are a GREAT cook.

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    1. Thank you so much Angie. So very nice of you to say that.

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  6. This dish looks ever so scrumptious! I'd love to taste it.

    A handsome husband.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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    1. Thank you Rosa. I just visited your blog... I was awestruck by your photos (again). Simply gorgeous!

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  7. Your husband looks handsome! 1977!!! That is going to be 40 years ago! Geez!

    Like how you made Inari bean curd wrappers from scratch! Wow!

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    1. Ha ha ha time gone by quickly, in the pic he was still in teen.

      Thank you for your comment. I hope you and your son feel better soon!

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  8.  こんばんは。美味しそうな稲荷寿司ですね。Sissi さんは海苔巻、ブロガーで日本の伝統食がこんなに見られるとは、思いませんでした。
     お孫さんが、ハワイにいらっしゃるのですか、とてもお若そうに見えるので信じられません。
     ご主人もハンサムな方ですね。
     ハワイではハワイ島のマウナケアとオアフ島のダイアモンドヘッドに行きました。スバル天文台も見て来ました。 Bento が英語になっているので」、驚きました。
     

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    1. コメントありがとうございます。 私もSissi の日本食には圧倒されます。上手ですよね。日本人も負けるぐらいです。
      来月ハワイ島に行きます。 この島へは初めて行きます。 スバル天文台はどこですか?

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  9. Well I guess I am unique then because I don't like inari sushis :) I love rice and I love vinegar but somehow I dislike the combination of the two. But they do look very cute and so does your husband :)

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    1. Thank you for your comment. Ha ha ha, you're the first one to say that you don't like inari sushi.
      Thank you for visiting my blog.

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