Delicious Rice Balls and Inari Sushi Rolls
Delicious Rice Balls and Inari Sushi Rolls
Hearty Breakfast for My Nephew: Inari Maki, Sushi, and Rice Balls
This is a nutritious breakfast recipe designed for my nephew, a freshman in college. He often skips breakfast, has a light lunch, and sometimes even eats dinner with friends. To ensure he gets a good start to his day, I prepared this special Inari Maki sushi for a weekend brunch. Adding some tasty Inari sushi and rice balls makes it a truly fulfilling meal.
Inari Maki Recipe (for 2 rolls)- 4 Eggs
- 1 Cucumber
- 1/2 Carrot
- 10 pieces Fried Tofu Pockets (Inari)
- 1 bowl Rice (warm)
- Salt (to taste)
- Sesame seeds (to taste)
- A little Sesame oil
Inari Sushi and Rice Balls Ingredients- 6 pieces Fried Tofu Pockets (Inari)
- 1 bowl Rice (warm)
- 1 Egg
- Store-bought seasoning sauce (select your favorite)
- 6 pieces Fried Tofu Pockets (Inari)
- 1 bowl Rice (warm)
- 1 Egg
- Store-bought seasoning sauce (select your favorite)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
[Prepare for Inari Maki] First, beat 4 eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt and mix well. Squeeze out the water from the fried tofu pockets (inari) and cut them into long, bite-sized pieces. Peel the cucumber and carrot, then use a peeler to slice them thinly into long strips. Preparing the ingredients in advance will save you time while cooking. 
Step 2
Sauté the julienned cucumber and carrot separately in a pan with a little cooking oil. Season them lightly with salt to enhance their natural sweetness and flavor. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to separate plates to cool.
Step 3
Pour the beaten eggs thinly into the pan to make an omelet (jidan). Once cooked, roll up the omelet and slice it into fine julienne strips. The colorful strips will make your sushi rolls look even more appealing.
Step 4
In the same pan, add the cut inari tofu pockets. Stir-fry them with a bit of soy sauce and rice syrup (or corn syrup) over low heat, as if braising them. This will infuse the tofu with a sweet and savory flavor, enriching the taste of the sushi rolls.
Step 5
Place a sheet of nori (seaweed) on a bamboo sushi mat. Spread a thin layer of warm rice over the nori, leaving a small border at the top. Arrange the prepared inari tofu, sautéed cucumber, carrot, and egg strips attractively over the rice. Roll it up tightly using the sushi mat. Slice the finished roll into bite-sized pieces. Be careful not to overfill with rice, as it will make rolling difficult.
Step 6
[Making Inari Sushi and Rice Balls] Briefly blanch the 6 inari tofu pockets in boiling water and squeeze out the excess water. In a bowl, combine 1 bowl of warm rice with the store-bought Inari sushi seasoning sauce and finely chopped egg omelet (use the one prepared earlier). Mix well and carefully stuff this rice mixture into the inari pockets. For the remaining rice, you can shape it into small, round rice balls (onigiri) by seasoning with salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds to your preference, creating a satisfying meal. 
