Abura-Age and Inari-Zushi: Fried Tofu Culture and Fox Shrines

Ingredients

• For the abura-age pouches
• 6 pieces commercial abura-age (thin fried tofu pouches), halved crosswise to yield 12 pouches
• 1 litre boiling water, for blanching
• For the seasoning liquid (Kanto style)
• 300 ml dashi
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 4 tbsp sugar, Kanto style: 2:1 sugar-to-soy ratio; reduce to 2 tbsp for Kansai style
• For the shari (sushi rice)
• 360 ml short-grain Japanese rice, cooked, then seasoned; rice for inari should be slightly firmer than standard sushi rice
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Method

1. 1
   Bring a generous quantity of water to a full boil. Submerge the abura-age pieces for 30 seconds, then drain and press gently between a clean cloth or paper towelling to remove surface oil. The blanched pouches should feel noticeably less greasy to the touch.
2. 2
   Halve each blanched piece of abura-age crosswise. Using a chopstick, roll firmly but slowly along the face of each half-pouch to loosen the interior layers. Ease open the cut end with a fingertip to form a pocket. The pouch must open fully without tearing — an intact, unbroken pocket is the prerequisite for clean stuffing.
3. 3
   Combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a wide, shallow pan. Add the opened pouches in a single layer and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until the liquid is completely absorbed and the pouches are glossy and deeply coloured. This step is where the dish lives or dies: under-seasoned pouches produce inari-zushi with correct texture but none of the sweet-savoury character that defines the preparation; the simmering liquid must be fully absorbed, not merely reduced around the pouches.
4. 4
   Season the cooked rice with the combined rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, folding with a cutting motion and fanning to cool. The shari should reach room temperature before stuffing — neither warm nor cold. It should hold its shape when pressed but not feel dense or compacted.
5. 5
   Take a portion of shari (approximately 40 g) and form it into a loose oval. Ease it into a seasoned pouch until the pouch is filled to roughly 70% capacity. The rice should form a gentle mound at the open edge — visible but not straining the seams. Fold the open edge inward or leave it lightly gathered. The finished inari-zushi should yield to gentle pressure without splitting.
6. 6
   Arrange the stuffed pouches on a platter. Inari-zushi is served at room temperature; the flavour contrast between sweet-soy pouch and vinegared rice is most pronounced at this temperature. The exterior of each pouch should be yielding and slightly tacky; the overall impression should be of balanced sweet and acid.