Spicy Salmon & Creamy Crab Inari Sushi

Inari sushi is basically sushi rice stuffed inside fried tofu pouches that have been cooked in a dash broth, known as aburaage. These are super easy to make and they’re also a great idea for your upcoming picnics!

Aburaage (inari age) is a type of Japanese deep fried tofu. It’s usually sold in packages in Asian grocery stores, where you can get at least ten of those in each package. Each tofu piece has a wide open space where you can stuff rice inside, and make inari sushi. I always buy the seasoned ones, where they’ve already been cooked in a dashi broth, so less fuss for me. You will also tend to see aburaage in some soup udon dishes, especially “Kitsune Udon”, where the main topping is aburaage.

We’re making two variations today: spicy salmon and creamy crab. Both are ridiculously easy to make. For the spicy salmon, remember to get some sashimi grade salmon, in order to be safe and ensure that it’s fresh. Then dice it and mix it together with a homemade gochujang mayo (recipe below). For the creamy crab, we will be using imitation crab sticks, just remember to defrost them before using. Mix it with some Japanese style mayo and other seasonings, and there you have it.

Perfect for picnics, appetizers, or as a main. Try this if you want to try another variation of sushi.

Ingredients

Sushi Rice:

• 2 cups uncooked sushi rice
• 2 cups water
• Rice vinegar (included in inari age package)
• Sesame seeds (included in inari age package)

Spicy Salmon Inari Sushi:

• Inari Age (seasoned fried tofu pouch)
• Sushi rice (recipe below)
• 100g sashimi grade salmon
• 1 tsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp Kewpie mayo
• Pinch of aonori

Creamy Crab Inari Sushi:

• Inari Age (seasoned fried tofu pouch)
• Sushi rice (recipe below)
• 4 imitation crab sticks
• 3-4 tbsp Kewpie mayo
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of aonori

Instructions

Sushi Rice:

1. Wash the rice for a few times until the water is almost clear. Drain and add water to rice. Put the rice in the rice cooker to cook.
2. Add the rice vinegar and sesame seeds packets from the inari age package to the cooked rice and mix. Cool to room temperature.

Spicy Salmon Inari Sushi:

1. Mix together the gochujang and mayo in a bowl.
2. Slice the salmon into bite sized pieces and combine with the gochujang mayo.
3. Squeeze out the liquid from the inari age. Wet your hands (this prevents them from sticking to the rice), open up the pouch, and stuff the rice inside. Top off with a few spicy salmon pieces and sprinkle aonori on top. Repeat for the rest. Enjoy!

Creamy Crab Inari Sushi:

1. Shred the crab sticks and place into a bowl. Cut into smaller pieces. Add the mayo and smoked paprika and mix.
2. Squeeze out the liquid from the inari age. Wet your hands (this prevents them from sticking to the rice), open up the pouch, and stuff the rice inside. Top off with the creamy crab and sprinkle aonori on top. Repeat for the rest. Enjoy!

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!