Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Inari Sushi (Fried Tofu Pocket Sushi)
There's a quiet satisfaction in setting out a plate of neat little inari pockets. The soft tofu wrapper has a sweet, savory flavor around the seasoned rice, making each piece inviting on its own.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Tofu & tempeh
- Cuisine
- Japanese · Asian
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Start the rice first
The rice needs to be cooked, seasoned, mixed with gari and sesame, then shaped before filling. Getting it going first gives you time to prepare and simmer the tofu pockets while the rice cooks.
2. Roll the tofu gently
Rolling the aburaage before cutting helps loosen the layers inside. Press from the centre toward the edges, then open the cut side slowly so the pocket doesn't tear.
3. Don't skip the oil rinse
The quick boil and cold rinse remove excess oil from the fried tofu. After that, press the pockets well so they'll take in the sweet soy simmering liquid instead of staying watery.
Get to know the ingredients
Aburaage needs a little prep
These thin fried tofu sheets become the wrappers. Rolling, halving, boiling and pressing them makes them easier to open and helps the seasoning soak in during the simmer.
Use Japanese short-grain rice
The rice is cooked with slightly less water, then seasoned after cooking. Short-grain rice gives you the stickiness needed to shape tidy cylinders that stay together inside the pockets.
Gari goes into the rice
The finely chopped gari is folded into the seasoned rice with toasted sesame seeds. Mix it in gently after the vinegar seasoning so it spreads through the rice without mashing it.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 18 steps completeMake room for Inari Sushi (Fried Tofu Pocket Sushi)
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Fill, fold, and tuck
Before filling, shake extra liquid from each tofu skin and open the pocket gently. Slide in the shaped rice, then fold the open ends over to seal. If one feels too full, reshape the rice smaller rather than forcing it.
A little more help as you go
Keep the wrappers from catching
After the covered simmer, keep cooking just until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stay close at this point, because the sweetened soy mixture can scorch if the pan runs dry.
Use tezu for easier shaping
A little rice vinegar in water makes tezu, which keeps the seasoned rice from clinging to your hands. Wet your hands before shaping each portion into a short cylinder.
A few questions you might have
Why do I need to boil the aburaage before simmering it?
The brief boil helps release excess oil from the fried tofu. The cold rinse and pressing step finish the job, so the pockets can absorb the sake, sugar and soy sauce mixture more evenly.
What is a drop lid doing here?
It sits directly over the tofu pockets while they simmer, helping keep them in an even layer in the seasoning liquid. After cooling, the drop lid goes back on while the wrappers come to room temperature.
How big should I make the rice portions?
Weigh the cooked rice and divide it by the number of wrappers. For twelve wrappers, use about sixty-five grams per pouch, shaped slightly narrower than the tofu pocket.
What should I do if the rice won't slide into the pocket?
Don't push hard. Take the rice out and reshape it into a smaller cylinder, then try again. The tofu pockets are opened gently and folded over the rice once filled.
Why is the rice cooked with less water than usual?
The cooked rice gets seasoned with sushi vinegar after it comes out of the cooker. Reducing the cooking water helps leave room for that seasoning while still giving rice that can be folded and shaped.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: norecipes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
