Inari Sushi

Directions

1. First, wash uncooked sushi rice: Place the measured rice in a bowl. Do an initial quick rinse by adding just enough water to submerge all the rice, then discard the water immediately; repeat this quick rinse once more. Next, wash the rice using your fingers to gently agitate the wet grains in a circular motion for 10–15 seconds. Then, rinse it by adding water and immediately discarding the cloudy water; repeat this rinse twice more. Finally, drain the rice very well.

2. Put the well-drained rice in the inner pot of your rice cooker. Add 1½ cups water (to just under the 2-cup water line of your inner pot for 2 rice cooker cups of uncooked rice). 

3. Let the rice in the water for 20–30 minutes. then start cooking. (ideally on sushi rice mode. If you do not have this mode, then normal mode is also fine.)

4. Mix with sushi vinegar and sugar well. 

5. When the rice is cooked, transfer the hot cooked rice into the sushi oke (if you do not have an oke, you can use a bowl). Spread out the rice evenly so it will cool faster.

6. While the rice is hot, gradually drizzle the sushi vinegar all over the rice. With a rice paddle, gently “slice” the rice at a 45-degree angle to distribute the sushi vinegar mixture and break up the chunks of rice. Gently flip the rice in between slices. Do not stir or mix the rice because the grains may break and become mushy. While using this slicing motion, vigorously fan the rice with a paddle fan or other fan. Slice and fan until the rice is cooled to the temperature of human skin. You can mix 1 big spoon of toasted sesame seeds if you want.(optional) 

7. Gently form the sushi rice into an oblong shape. Your hands should be just firm enough so the sushi rice doesn’t fall apart.

8. Put sushi balls into Inari Pockets.