Makes 6 tofu bags
a shrine dedicated to agriculture and the fox is regarded as the envoy of the god. People used to offer abura-age (fried bean curd) to the fox; hence this special name. This sushi makes an ideal picnic lunch and children's snack.



INGREDIENTS:
½ quantity vinegared japanese rice
3 fresh Japanese fried bean curd (abura-age)
200 ml chicken stock
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mirin or sweet sherry
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
2 dried shiitake (mushrooms)
5 cm carrot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sake (optional)

To serve:
Pickled ginger
Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)


HOW TO MAKE:
1. Make the vinegared sushi (sumeshi).
2. Put the fried bean curd (abura-age) on a cutting board and roll each one with a rolling pin. This separates the thin layers inside the bean curd, making a bag. Put the bean curd in a mixing bowl, pour over boiling water, then drain – this will reduce the oilness.
3. Cut each piece in half and carefully open each piece from the cut side (if not opened already), to make a bag.
4. Put the chicken stock or water in a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and bring to the boil. Add the bean curd bags, cook 3 minutes on moderate heat, then add 1 tablespoon mirin and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes until all the liquid disappears. Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.
5. Meanwhile, soak the dried shiitake in a bowl of warm water for at least 30 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid. 6. Cut off the stems and finely chop the caps. Pour 50 ml of the soaking liquid into a saucepan, add the remaining sugar, mirin, soy sauce and sake and bring to the boil. Add the carrot and shiitake and simmer for 3-4 minutes until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let cool.
7. While the rice is still warm, fold in the cooked carrot and shiitake. Dip your hands in the hand vinegar and divide the rice mixture into 6 balls. Squeeze out excess juice from the bean curds bags and open with your fingers. Stuff a ball of rice into each bag and fold in the edge (optional). You may cut some bags in half and stuff rice in the corner to make a three-cornered ‘Napoleon’s hat’shape.
8. Arrange the bags on a serving plate and serve with pickled ginger and soy sauce