Adorable Octopus Character Inari Sushi
Adorable Octopus Character Inari Sushi
Fun Picnic Lunchbox Inari Sushi with Octopus Decorations
These adorable Inari sushi, adorned with cute octopus-shaped sausages and colorful vegetables, are sure to capture the attention of children. A perfect recipe for picnics or special lunchbox occasions!
Basic Ingredients- 1 packet of store-bought Inari sushi kit (for 2 servings)
- 1.5 cups cooked warm rice
- 1/4 zucchini
- 1/4 bell pepper (any color)
- 1/4 onion
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of sesame oil
Octopus Decoration Ingredients- 4-6 Vienna sausages
- A few boiled black sesame seeds (for eyes)
- A little sliced cheese (for mouth)
- A little dried seaweed (for mouth or decoration)
- 4-6 Vienna sausages
- A few boiled black sesame seeds (for eyes)
- A little sliced cheese (for mouth)
- A little dried seaweed (for mouth or decoration)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Finely mince the vegetables (zucchini, bell pepper, onion) that will be added to the Inari sushi. Mincing them finely makes it easier for children to eat their vegetables.
Step 2
Lightly grease a heated pan with cooking oil. Add all the minced vegetables and stir-fry over medium heat. Season with a tiny pinch of salt to enhance the vegetables’ natural flavors.
Step 3
Once the vegetables are tender, add 1.5 cups of warm cooked rice. Stir-fry with a spatula, ensuring the rice is evenly mixed and not clumped together. Breaking up the rice grains while stirring is key.
Step 4
After stir-frying, add the furikake (seasoned mixture) from the Inari sushi kit and mix well. If your children enjoy a sweet and sour taste, you can add a little of the sushi vinegar included in the kit. My children don’t prefer it, so I omitted it. Let the fried rice cool down slightly, just enough so it’s not piping hot.
Step 5
Cut the Vienna sausages in half lengthwise. Then, make 3-4 slits on the cut end of the bottom part of each sausage. As they cook, these slits will open up, resembling octopus tentacles.
Step 6
Place the prepared sausages in a preheated pan and cook slowly over medium-low heat. Watch as the slits beautifully unfurl into cute octopus shapes. Be careful not to burn them, and cook until golden brown on all sides.
Step 7
Gently fill the Inari pockets with the slightly cooled fried rice. Avoid overfilling; leaving a little space makes the sushi look neater. You can fold the edges of the Inari slightly inward to hide the filling.
Step 8
Place the cooked octopus sausages cutely on top of the sushi. You can cut thin, long strips of dried seaweed to wrap around the octopus and sushi for decoration. For the octopus’s eyes, use boiled black sesame seeds. For the mouth, use sliced cheese cut with a straw or a small cookie cutter. If it’s difficult to attach sesame seeds directly to the sausage, use a toothpick to poke a small hole where you want the eyes, then insert the sesame seed. This makes it much easier to secure them.
Step 9
I also made a rolled omelet to make the lunchbox more complete. Adding a favorite egg dish like this makes the lunchbox even more satisfying.
Step 10
Your cute Octopus Inari Sushi is complete! The children will absolutely love it.
