I firmly believe some of the best food comes from a can. Case in point: yubuchobap, the Korean form of Japanese inari sushi. In this iconic dish, seasoned sticky rice is packed into marinated fried bean curd (tofu), forming pillow-like pockets of savory-sweet goodness that are delicious eaten on their own or alongside classic picnic fare like kimbap.
A resourceful tip I picked up from my mom is using the leftover marinade from the bottom of the can—which contains ingredients like soy sauce, cooking wine, and sugar—as built-in seasoning for the rice, and then supplementing it with rice vinegar, mirin, and salt to taste. After you season the rice, the sky’s the limit: Mix in thinly sliced nori strips, diced scallions, or toasted sesame seeds before filling the pockets. Or ditch the rice altogether and opt for soba noodles instead. While some recipes call for adding diced, sautéed vegetables to the rice, I love using raw, finely shredded veggies like carrots for a fresh contrast against the tangy tofu.
You can find fried bean curd at Asian grocery stores in cans or refrigerated packages, though I’m partial to the canned variety, which can be stored for a while in the pantry. Whether you make yubuchobap as a fun picnic side or a last-minute lazy dinner, these salty-sweet-vinegary rice pockets couldn’t be simpler to throw together or more satisfying to eat—all you need is enough people to share them with.
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