Ebi Inari Recipe
shrimp, spicy crab salad, avocado, yuba, seaweed salad, cucumber, sesame kabayaki
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Ingredients
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Base & greens
Seafood components
Vegetables & avocado
Sesame kabayaki sauce & dressing
Finishing & optional
Method
Prepare yuba pockets & base
Warm pouches (if using packaged inari/abura-age)
If using pre-seasoned inari pouches, gently warm them in a microwave for 15-20 seconds or briefly steam for 30 seconds to make them pliable. If using dried yuba sheets, rehydrate according to package instructions and form small pockets.
Arrange the mixed salad greens across a serving platter or divide between 2 plates (this recipe serves 2). Place seaweed salad and cucumber slices in separate small piles on the greens to create layered components for the salad.
Make spicy crab salad
In a small bowl, combine flaked crab meat (or chopped imitation crab), 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, and 1 tsp sriracha. Gently fold until evenly coated. Taste and adjust mayo or sriracha for creaminess and heat. Reserve.
Prepare shrimp
If shrimp are not cooked, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook shrimp 1-2 minutes until pink and just cooked through. Immediately transfer to an ice bath for 1 minute, then drain and pat dry. Season lightly with 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1/8 tsp salt.
Make sesame kabayaki sauce
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 3 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin, 1 tbs brown sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tsp rice vinegar. Stir until sugar dissolves and sauce slightly thickens (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in toasted sesame seeds. Let cool slightly.
Assemble yuba pockets and components
Open each warmed yuba/inari pocket gently and spoon approximately 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the spicy crab salad into 6 of the pockets (use remaining pockets for avocado or shrimp as you prefer). Reserve a few pockets for toppings and texture variety.
Plate and finish
Place the filled yuba pockets on top of the greens and arranged seaweed/cucumber. Drizzle the sesame kabayaki sauce lightly over the pockets, shrimp, and avocado—reserve some sauce to the side if you prefer. Dot remaining mayonnaise (1 tbs) over any crab-topped pockets and optionally sprinkle masago or tobiko over the spicy crab pockets.
Garnish with sliced green onion, a light sprinkle of furikake or toasted nori strips, and an additional pinch of toasted sesame seeds. Taste a bite and add more soy-mirin drizzle or sriracha if desired.
Serve immediately so yuba pockets remain slightly tender and components keep texture contrast.