Salmon and Quinoa Rice Stuffed Fried Tofu Pouches

Inari age, the "age" part is pronounced as "aa geh" instead of age like talking about how old you are. This Japanese ingredient is basically fried tofu pouches.

I usually use the inari age like a thick sheet of tofu, mostly sliced to strips then add to my dishes. However, to fully utilize its "pouchy" character, it's extra fun when you actually stuff something inside. The pouch can be closed or opened depending on the style of food you're making. As per my recipe here, it's an opened fried tofu pouch stuffed with quinoa rice and roasted salmon.

Salmon and quinoa rice stuffed fried tofu pouches - 

Ingredients (for six pouches)?

• 6 pieces inari age いなり揚げ
• 220 grams salmon
• 2 strings scallion
• Some cooked quinoa rice (or simply white rice)
• Some salt 
• Some black pepper

How? 

Precook the white rice. I added some quinoa mainly for its nutritional value. Destem and chop the scallion. 

Transfer salmon to a baking sheet lined with foil. Season both sides of the salmon fillet with some salt and black pepper. Use more salt and pepper than usual because this will be the main source of saltiness.

Let the salmon rest for five minutes, meanwhile preheat the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius. Once ready, transfer salmon to the oven and bake till fully cooked, mine took about 25 minutes.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil then add in the fried tofu pouches.

Cook for no longer than a minute, just to soften the pouches a bit while drawing out some oil at the same time. Drain and pat dry with paper towel. Bring out just one chopstick. Use it like a rolling pin to roll the pouches to further flatten them. However, make sure not to cause any opening holes.

Use a scissor and cut a slit on on side, that way you'll get a pouch with one opening.

By now the salmon should be fully cooked, remove the salmon from the oven and peel-off the skin if any. Tear the fish to smaller pieces and mix with chopped scallion. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Stuff some rice to the fried tofu pouches, about half way through. Then fold in the openings inward, that way you'll get a smoother rounded openings on top.

Stuff in more rice, about 80% full then top the rice with generous amount of salmon and scallion mixture. 

I like the simple taste of it, especially when very good salmon was used. Also this dish doesn't have be to served hot. As long as the quality holds, eating it under room temperature is delicious too. In fact, I think that way you get to enjoy bouncier bite of the rice.

If you prefer something heavier or saltier, you can drizzle some sauce all over, I think Japanese mayonnaise or Sriracha would be two good options, or if teriyaki sauce is available, that would be great too. 

Other recipes using inari age いなり揚げ:

• Pork bamboo shoot and shiitake takikomi gohan 炊き込みご飯
• Hijiki and inari age onigiri 羊栖菜豆皮飯糰