Note: This recipe is adapted from JOC. I’m sharing personal notes on the ingredients I used, as well as some personal preference adjustments. I reduced the sugar and soy sauce to make it more healthy, and so that the aburaage flavor comes through better.
Inari age is a quintessential element of Japanese cuisine that combines simplicity with rich cultural significance. Made from thin slices of tofu skin, known as aburaage, it is simmered in a sweet-savory mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin, creating soft, golden pouches that are slightly sweet, deeply flavorful, and incredibly versatile.
The name inari age is derived from its association with Inari shrines in Japan, which are dedicated to the Shinto deity Inari, the god of rice, prosperity, and agriculture. Traditionally, these tofu pockets are filled with seasoned rice to create inari sushi, a popular offering at these shrines and a beloved dish in Japanese households and bento boxes alike.
Beyond their cultural roots, inari age has made its way into modern kitchens worldwide due to its simplicity, vegan-friendly nature, and ability to be adapted for various fillings, from classic vinegared rice to creative plant-based or fusion options. Whether enjoyed as a snack, part of a larger meal, or a cultural exploration of Japanese cuisine, inari age offers a delightful balance of flavor and history.
Inarizushi is one of my favorite things to have at at a sushi restaurant.
That along with Tamago sushi are very simple in presentation and fairly easy to make, but also transforms simple ingredients to bursts of complex flavors alongside the higher brow sushis.
About two years ago, I started making inarizushi using store-bought inari age imported from Japan. I usually get the Hikari Miso brand, because the ingredient list seems a bit more natural and it is made in Japan. I tend to avoid USA soy products unless they are organic, because American soy products are usually GMO unless otherwise noted.
The packet ones are great if you’re a busy mom with no time, but truthfully I find the them too sweet, and also saltier than I’m comfortable with. I often rinse and wring out excess sugar and soy sauce, but there’s also high fructose corn syrup, food conditioners and preservatives in the store-bought inari age. I’ve just never been truly comfortable about them because they aren’t as clean as I’d like them to be.
So for a while, I wanted to make a cleaner version that tastes better. I went to my trusted source JOC for all things Japanese home cooking. Although I also read a lot of Japanese cookbooks, I’ve had quite a few successes cooking recipes from JOC, so decided to use that.
I’ve doubled her recipe, and cut back slightly on the soy sauce. what’s important to note also is that soy sauce from different brands have different concentrations of salt, so adjust based on your soy sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Soy Sauce – I use organic Kikkoman soy sauce that’s imported from Japan. I just like the flavor profile better and it’s clean.
Dashi Stock – There are these natural dashi packets that are not bouillon or powder-based from Japan that Costco sells that I get that have shaved bonito in them. I use that to make my stock, but technically dashi from scratch, Hondashi, any any kind of instant dashi would work too.
Aburaage – These are the tofu sheets. You’ll have to cut them in halves, prep them by boiling the residual frying oil out quickly before braising them.
Ingredients
- 12 sheets aburaage (fried tofu sheets)
Simmering Stock
- 3 cups dashi stock
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 6 tbsp mirin
- 4 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Cut the tofu sheets in half, and rinse under hot water to remove excess oil.
- Add all the simmering stock ingredients in a pot, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and add the tofu in layers and laid out like petals of flowers around the pot.
- Simmer it for 35 minutes under low medium heat, turning the tofu pieces at midpoint to ensure the tofu evenly soaks the simmering stock.
- Remove from heat, cool, and use for inari suzhi or kitsune udon.
