Inarizushi, or inari-zushi, is a traditional Japanese type of sushi consisting of sweetened fried bean curd stuffed with vinegared rice. The fried bean curd is stewed in a sweet and spicy mixture of soy sauce, sugar, mirin (sweet cooking rice wine), and dashi (Japanese soup stock), creating a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Sushi rice is sometimes mixed with ingredients such as white sesame seeds, shredded burdock root, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms, but in many cases it is simply sushi rice.
Inarizushi, as the name suggests, is derived from the "Inari God," and the fox, the messenger of the Inari God, is said to have preferred fried tofu, giving rise to this form of sushi. It is also popular as a light meal that can be enjoyed casually at offerings to shrines, home parties, picnics, and other occasions.
