Inarizushi reminds me of my father and grandmother.  I grew up eating these because my father grew up eating these meaning that my grandmother or aunt Sony made these all the time.  They’re simple and really delicious.

I’m going to go on a limb and say these were introduced to Koreans during the Japanese occupation.  Unlike most Koreans my grandmother’s age, she didn’t hate the Japanese.  She was a pretty fair and righteous so she gave credit when it was due.  She said that the Japanese built Korea’s infrastructures, enforced education and demanded proper etiquette be taught in schools.  Then she would flip and say that they were extremely harsh and bastards for invading her country.  It was quite funny.

Japanese was her and my grandfather’s first language.  My grandfather even went to both undergraduate and graduate school in Japan at Waseda University.  So it’s no surprise that our family uses a lot of Japanese words.  I didn’t realize it until my uncle told me a story on how he was teased for using Japanese instead of Korean when he first started school.  He gave me several examples and I realized that I also used those words.

(BTW, I hate making rice and never seem to cooking it long enough.)  Use a rice cooker but those of you wanting to know how to make rice without a cooker…  Here it is:

Sushi Rice

1 part short grain glutinous rice

1 part extremely cold water

Sake

1 part Rice Wine Vinegar

1 part Sugar (less if you don’t like it kinda sweet)

Salt to taste

1.  Pour measured rice into a bowl or pot.  Fill cold water and swish the water around a bit and pour it out.  This will remove the dust from the rice.  Then fill again and place hands into the center of the pot.  Using the meaty part of your hand, gently rub the rice and move the pot in a circular motion.  Approximately 50 strokes.  Do not use too much pressure to break or crush the rice.  Fill with water and rinse until water runs clean.  Repeat again.

2.  Once water runs clean again, fill pot with cold water and add some sake.  All rice to rest for 20 minutes.  Pour rice into a strainer and allow rice to strain for 15 minutes.  Transfer to cooking pot or stoned cookware.  Add equal portion of water.  (If you’re measured 1 cup of rice step 1, add 1 cup of water.)

3.  Bring rice and water to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Mix Rice Wine Vinegar, sugar and salt, till salt and sugar are dissolved.

4.  When rice is finished cooking, transfer to a wide bowl.  Using the back of a large spatula, pour the seasoning over rice evenly.  Cut the rice, making horizontal and vertical lines with your spatula.  Then gently fold.  Taste and add more salt if needed.

Inarizushi

Furikake Seasoning (I used Korean Seaweed Mix)

Inarizushi (Fried Tofu Skin)

1/2 Tbps Vinegar

1.  Open can of Inarizisushi and drain fluid.

2.  Take a chopstick and gently roll the tofu skin to squeeze out excess fluid and it will help open up the skin.

3.  Add vinegar to a cold bowl of water and wet hands.  Add Furikake or Seaweed or whatever you’d like to your sushi rice.  Take the sushi rice (or regular white rice) and form a ball slightly larger than a ping pong ball.  Gently add to the tofu.  Fill if there’s still room.  Use fingers to pack in the rice.

4.  Eat.