Mazekomi Inari (Inari-Style Mixed Sushi Rice)
混ぜ込みいなり · Mazekomi Inari
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Inari sushi is usually vinegared rice tucked into pouches of sweetly simmered aburaage (fried tofu), named for the fox messengers of Inari shrines, who are said to love fried tofu. In this preschool version, the aburaage and carrot are cut into short strips, simmered in dashi, and simply mixed into the rice - no stuffing needed, and the small pieces are easy for little ones to scoop up with a spoon. The mild sweet-and-savory flavor of the filling soaks into the tangy rice, and children who love inari sushi take to it right away.
Wheat-free, but uses soy sauce (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 60 griceJapanese short-grain white rice (japonica), which cooks up soft and slightly sticky. The amount listed is for uncooked rice. Substitute: Sushi rice, or another short-grain or medium-grain rice such as Calrose.
- 8.6 gaburaage (fried tofu pouch)Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
- 9.8 gcarrot
Seasonings
- 2.3 gvinegar
- 1 gsugar
- 0.3 gsalt
- 15 gdashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 0.9 gsugar
- 3.5 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 2.4 gsoy sauce
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- rice (米)
- Japanese short-grain white rice (japonica), which cooks up soft and slightly sticky. The amount listed is for uncooked rice. Substitute: Sushi rice, or another short-grain or medium-grain rice such as Calrose.
- aburaage (fried tofu pouch) (油揚げ)
- Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
- 1
Cook the rice as usual. Once it is cooked, mix in the vinegar, sugar, and salt thoroughly.
- 2
Pour boiling water over the aburaage to remove excess oil, then cut it into short, thin strips. Cut the carrot into short, thin strips as well.
- 3
Put the dashi stock, sugar, mirin, and the aburaage and carrot from step 2 in a pot and simmer. When the carrot is tender, add the soy sauce and continue simmering until the liquid has cooked away.
- 4
Mix the rice from step 1 and the simmered filling from step 3 together.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 258 kcal | 516 kcal | 258 kcal |
| Protein | 5.7 g | 11.4 g | 5.7 g |
| Fat | 3.6 g | 7.2 g | 3.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 51 g | 102 g | 51 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Calcium | 33 mg | 66 mg | 33 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg | 1.5 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Potassium | 109.5 mg | 219 mg | 109.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 258 kcal | 5.7 g | 3.6 g | 51 g | 0.8 g | 0.6 g | 33 mg | 0.8 mg | 109.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 516 kcal | 11.4 g | 7.2 g | 102 g | 1.5 g | 1.2 g | 66 mg | 1.5 mg | 219 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
