【Ingredients】 (４ Servings / 16 Inarizushis in total)
Rice (米 / Kome)……360ml
Water (水 / Mizu)……400cc
Konbu (昆布 / Konbu)……1 portion about 5cm long and wide
White roasted sesame seeds (白炒りごま / Shiro irigoma)……1tbsp

◆Yuzu-flavored Sushi Vinegar
Yuzu juice (柚子の絞り汁 / Yuzu no shiborijiru)……1/4cup
Sugar (砂糖 / Satōh)……1 1/2 tbsp
Salt (塩/ Shio)……1tsp

Abura-age Pockets
Abura-age (油揚げ / Abura-age)……8
Water (水 / Mizu)……400ml
Soy sauce (しょうゆ / Shōyu)……3tbsp
Hon mirin (本みりん / Hon mirin)……4tbsp
Cane sugar (きび砂糖 / Kibizatōh)……3tbsp

◆Inarizushi Filling
Chirimenjako (ちりめんじゃこ / Chirimenjako)……3tbsp
Dried shītake (干しいたけ / Hoshi shītake)……4
Water (水 / Mizu)……１cup for rehydrating the dried shītake
Carrots (にんじん / Ninjin)……1/2
Soy sauce (しょうゆ / Shōyu)……1tbsp
Hon mirin (本みりん / Hon mirin)……1tbsp

【How to Make】
① Rinse the rice and put it in the rice cooker, together with the water and konbu. Squeeze the yuzu juice into a bowl, add the sugar and salt, and mix until everything is dissolved.

② When the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl while it is still hot. Pour in the yuzu-flavored sushi vinegar, covering the rice evenly, and then use a shamoji (paddle-like utensil) in a diagonal, cutting motion to mix the rice. Be careful not to mash the rice. Use a hand-held fan (like a Japanese uchiwa) to cool the rice as you mix it. Once the vinegar is thoroughly mixed into the rice, mix the sesame seeds in as well.

③ Cut the abura-age in half crosswise and then carefully open up each half to form a pocket. Place all of the pockets into a sieve and then drench them in hot water (not included in the ingredient list) to rinse off excess oil. Add the water, soy sauce, mirin, and cane sugar to a pot and bring them to a boil. Add the abura-age pockets to the pot and cover them with a drop lid. Simmer at low temperature for about 10 minutes. Press the drop lid down to squeeze the liquid out of the abura-age pockets. Release the drop lid and simmer for about 5 more minutes, turn off the heat, and let the pockets cool in the pot.

④ Place the dried shītake in a cup of water for at least 1 hour to rehydrate them. Remove the shītake from the water, press out the excess water and cut the shītake into pieces about 5mm long and wide. Set the water aside (you’re going to use it later). Cut the carrot into pieces the same size as the shītake.

⑤ Pour the water from rehydrating the shītake into a pot, add the shītake and carrots, and bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce and mirin, and simmer until nearly all of the water is gone.

⑥ Combine the vinegared rice, shītake and carrots, and chirimenjako, and mix well. Divide into 16 equal portions and form each into ovals.

⑦ Use the palms of your hands to press the excess water out of the abura-age pockets. Put a portion of vinegared rice into each pocket and close the pocket.

Recipe Developed by: Machiko Tateno

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