Making Animal Shaped Sushi

Craft: Making Animal Shaped Sushi

attosa
Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts

March 8, 2020

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - pickled ginger and cucumber slices garnish next to the finished sushi Sushi scenery is very popular in Japan. Here, I've turned sushi into cats and dogs, laying around in their pet beds. This type of sushi is called Inarizushi, which are seasoned balls of rice stuffed into fried tofu skins. These skins are available at many stores and online. I've added a link below. My mum used to make beautiful sushi scenery for my school lunch boxes. This is a fun and easy-to-make edible craft that's great for all ages.

Total Time: 1 hour

Link: Fried Tofu Pouches

Supplies:

3 cups sushi rice
4 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
fried tofu skin pouches (seasoned)
1 stick string cheese
Nori seaweed sheets
straw
knife
mini scissors

Steps:

Cook the rice in water according to directions, minus 4 tablespoons of water. You want it a bit dry as you will add vinegar later. I use a rice cooker for best results. Mix together the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Drizzle over cooked rice while stirring.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - preparing rice mixture

Take the tofu pouches out of the package. They are readily shaped as pockets with an opening. Fold the lip inwards to make little beds for the animals to lay in.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - shaping the tofu pouch into a pet bed

When the seasoned rice has cooled down enough to touch with bare hands, wet your hands and roll rice into balls. Use cupped hands to press the rice so it's packed tight.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - roll cooled rice into balls and press to pack it tightly together

To make the cat body, make an elongated rice ball almost as big as the tofu pocket bed. Place inside.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - for the cat make an elongated ball and press into the bed

To make the cat head, roll a small ball of rice and place it next to the body, resting on the side of the tofu bed. The stickiness of the rice acts as the glue.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - the cat's head is a smaller ball resting on the edge of the bed

To make the paws and ears, slice the string cheese into little discs. Now use your straw to cut out little round paws. Use your knife to cut little triangle ears.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - making paws from string cheese using a straw to cut the circle from a thin slice of cheese

Lay the 4 paws on the body rice ball sections. Wedge the ears into the rice ball heads.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - add paws and ears

Use your little scissors to cut out small details for your animals.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - cut small details from the seaweed sheets

Little circles, triangles, and lines will do. You can add a tiny dab of water on the rice to stick these pieces on.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - stick to the cat using a tiny dab of water

Repeat the rice ball steps to make the dogs. You can use the seaweed to add a wagging tail and spots.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - repeat for the dog, use seaweed to add a tail and spots

Plate the finished sushi. You can add pickled ginger and cucumbers as decorative (and edible) garnish.

Making Animal Shaped Sushi - plate the sushi

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Comments

poehere
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 105 Posts

April 24, 20200 found this helpful

When you get in the kitchen your creativity really shines through. These are absolutely adorable and they look too cute to eat.

At the same time they look really good to eat. I have to make some.