Delicious Inarizushi with Egg and Crab Stick Topping
Easy Homemade Inarizushi: Elevated with a Flavorful Egg and Crab Stick Topping
Today’s featured recipe is Inarizushi, a beloved dish! To elevate its texture and flavor beyond the ordinary, we’re adding a delicious topping of egg and crab sticks. The soft scrambled egg, combined with the crisp cucumber and savory crab stick mixture, creates a delightful texture that’s rich yet not overly greasy. Enjoy this special meal made with simple ingredients!
Main Ingredients
- 14 pieces of store-bought seasoned fried tofu pouches (for Inari sushi)
- 2 bowls of cooked rice
- 3 fresh eggs
- 1 crisp cucumber
- 4 imitation crab sticks (kani kama)
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp wasabi paste
- A pinch of salt
- A sprinkle of black sesame seeds
- A pinch of dried parsley flakes
For Salting the Cucumber
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by thoroughly washing the cucumber. Peel off the skin thinly and then remove the watery inner core. We want to keep only the crisp flesh. Slice the cucumber thinly using a vegetable peeler.
Step 2
The thinly sliced cucumber will look beautifully delicate, almost like flower petals.
Step 3
Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of sugar over the sliced cucumber and mix well. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to salt. This process will draw out excess water and make the cucumber delightfully crunchy.
Step 4
Crack the 3 eggs into a bowl. Add a small pinch of salt to season and whisk them thoroughly with a fork or whisk until smooth. This not only seasons the eggs but also helps to remove any eggy smell and ensure a tender texture.
Step 5
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add a thin layer of cooking oil. Pour the whisked egg mixture into the pan to create a thin omelet.
Step 6
Cook over medium-low heat, flipping the omelet gently to ensure even cooking without burning. Aim for a golden-yellow color. Avoid making it too thick.
Step 7
Once cooked, let the egg omelet cool slightly. Then, julienne it (cut into thin strips) and finely chop it. This finely chopped egg will be perfect as a topping.
Step 8
Carefully unwrap the imitation crab sticks and shred them lengthwise according to their natural grain. Avoid shredding them too finely to maintain a pleasant texture.
Step 9
Drain the liquid from the store-bought seasoned fried tofu pouches. Gently squeeze out any excess liquid, but be careful not to press too hard. If you squeeze them too dry, they will lose their flavor and moisture.
Step 10
Take the salted cucumber slices and firmly squeeze them by hand to remove as much moisture as possible. It’s important that the cucumber is not soggy.
Step 11
In a mixing bowl, combine the squeezed cucumber and the shredded imitation crab sticks.
Step 12
Add 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise to the bowl.
Step 13
Incorporate 1 teaspoon of wasabi paste for a subtle kick. You can adjust the amount of wasabi to your preference.
Step 14
Using chopsticks, gently mix the ingredients together, being careful not to mash the cucumber or crab sticks. The goal is to preserve their individual textures.
Step 15
In a separate bowl, place the warm cooked rice. Add all the sushi vinegar seasoning and flavoring ingredients (like the rice vinegar mixture and flakes) that came with the Inarizushi kit. Mix them into the rice.
Step 16
Using a rice paddle or spatula, gently mix the seasoned rice. Fold and mix until the rice is fluffy and the seasoning is evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing, which can make the rice mushy. You want distinct grains of rice.
Step 17
Now, carefully stuff the seasoned rice into each prepared fried tofu pouch.
Step 18
When filling the tofu pouches, avoid overfilling them to create a mound. Leave a little space at the top, as this will be where the topping is placed. This ensures the toppings sit nicely.
Step 19
Finally, artfully arrange the chopped egg and the creamy cucumber-crab stick mixture on top of the rice in each tofu pouch. Finish with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds and parsley flakes for a beautiful presentation. Your special Inarizushi is now complete and ready to be enjoyed!
