Inari

Since I don't really love raw fish/sushi, (I know... you're appalled and now want to throw rocks at me) this is one of my favorite dishes to order at Japanese restaurants. I'd love to make it myself some day. It doesn't seem too complicated.

Recipe from Shichimi.

Makes ~17 pockets, enough for 3-5 people

Ingredients
3 cups freshly cooked white Japanese rice
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can inarizushi no moto (Fried tofu skins steeped in a sweet soy sauce.)

Directions
Place the still-hot rice in a large bowl, and gently but thoroughly mix in the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. (The inarizushi wrappers are fairly sweet, so you don’t want to overdo it on the sugar in the rice.)

Remove the inarizushi wrappers from the can and shake them to get rid of some of the excess liquid. Carefully open the wrappers on one end and lay them on a work surface.

When the rice has cooled enough for you to handle it, scoop up about two tablespoons worth and stuff it into one of the wrappers, gently packing the rice as you go. Be careful not to overstuff the wrappers, or they will tear. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, and keep at room temperature until serving. If you need to make the inarizushi in advance, refrigerate them for a few hours and bring them to room temperature before serving. However, the rice will become hard if you refrigerate it overnight.