Cone Sushi (Inari Sushi)

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Make the bulk sushi-vinegar stock: mix 1 cup rice vinegar, ¾ cup sugar, 1 tsp lime juice and the separate ¼ tsp vinegar salt until the sugar dissolves completely. Reserve this one mixed stock. The rice filling will use only ¼ cup of the finished mixture, so keep the rest separate.

   Uses 1 cup rice vinegar · ¾ cup sugar for sushi vinegar · 1 tsp lime juice · ¼ tsp salt for sushi vinegar

2. 2

   Step 2: Choose one rice route. For raw rice, measure two rice-cooker cups, equivalent to the author’s 1½ standard cups, of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (2); cook it in the rice cooker with water measured for that cooker until done. Alternatively skip raw-rice cooking and use 3½ standard cups already cooked short-grain rice, reheating it first if chilled. The two choices produce one warm cooked-rice supply for the filling; never combine both supplies.

   Uses 2 rice-cooker cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (1½ standard cups) · Water for the raw-rice route, measured according to the rice cooker · 3½ cups already cooked Japanese short-grain rice, instead of the uncooked rice

3. 3

   Step 3: Prepare twenty small plain fried tofu pockets (20 small). If starting with ten whole rectangular wrappers, cut each in half once; if already cut into twenty pockets, leave them whole. Bring a separate pot of blanching water to a boil. Boil all twenty pockets for 5–10 minutes to remove excess frying oil. Drain, cool until safe to handle and gently squeeze out the liquid without tearing them; discard the blanching water.

   Boil plain tofu pockets · 10 minUses 20 small plain fried tofu pockets (from 10 whole rectangular fried tofu wrappers) · Water for boiling the plain fried tofu pockets, discarded after blanching

4. 4

   Step 4: In the emptied pot, combine the separate 2½ cups braising water, ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup braising sugar and 1 tbsp hondashi. Bring to a boil, add the one drained batch of tofu pockets, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes so the pockets absorb the seasoning.

   Simmer seasoned tofu pockets · 15 minUses 2½ cups water for tofu braise · ½ cup soy sauce · ½ cup sugar for tofu braise · 1 tbsp hondashi dashi powder · Blanched drained plain tofu pockets

5. 5

   Step 5: While the tofu simmers, stir-fry the peeled, finely diced small carrot (1) in a small pan for a few minutes until slightly soft. Use only an actual small amount of frying oil if the pan requires it. Set the cooked carrot aside to cool.

   Uses 1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced · A small amount of oil for stir-frying the carrot, as needed

6. 6

   Step 6: Measure exactly ¼ cup from the prepared sushi-vinegar stock. Use a rice paddle to mix that measured draw into the one warm cooked-rice supply from the selected rice route, along with the cooled stir-fried carrot, the separate 1 tbsp filling sugar and separate ¼ tsp filling salt. Keep all unused sushi-vinegar stock separate; it is not an additional filling dose.

   Uses ¼ cup measured from the one prepared sushi-vinegar stock · Warm cooked short-grain rice from one selected route · Cooked diced carrot · 1 tbsp sugar for rice filling · ¼ tsp salt for rice filling

7. 7

   Step 7: Carefully lift each braised tofu pocket from its cooking liquid onto a plate. Let the pockets cool until safe to handle, keeping them intact. Leave the actual remaining braising liquid in the pot; it is not another measured ingredient for the rice filling.

   Uses Actual twenty-pocket batch removed from braising liquid

8. 8

   Step 8: Gently open each cooled braised pocket and spoon in an actual fitting portion of the prepared carrot-rice filling. Press lightly so the rice holds its shape without crushing it. Choose either to fill to the top and leave rice exposed, or fill each pocket about three-quarters of its height and fold the spare tofu over. Continue with the actual filling and intact pockets available. Keep spare or torn pockets separate.

   Uses Actual intact pockets selected for filling; spare or torn pockets remain separate · Actual fitting rice portions from the one prepared filling batch

9. 9

   Step 9: Serve the completed cone sushi slightly warm or at room temperature soon after assembly, as one batch for four people. Keep any actual unfilled seasoned pockets or unused rice filling separate from the finished sushi.

   Uses Completed stuffed cone sushi

10. 10

    Step 10: Refrigerate finished sushi and any actual leftover filling or pockets promptly. For leftovers, reheat the selected portion gently in a steamer until hot throughout, then let it cool only enough to eat slightly warm. Do not leave cooked rice standing at room temperature for extended storage.

    Uses Actual assembled leftovers, if any · Actual unused filling, if any · Actual unfilled or torn pockets, if any