Lucky ‘Yubu’ Pouches & Fresh Spring Roll Pouches
Making Lucky ‘Yubu’ Pouches and Fresh Spring Roll Pouches with Kawaji No. 1 Rice
I’ve made ‘Yubu’ (fried tofu) pouches filled with good fortune and also fresh spring roll pouches! To make it more festive, I created the spring roll version to look like lucky bags too. While it takes a bit of effort, the sense of accomplishment upon completion is immense! These are perfect for entertaining guests or as a special bento box meal. Let’s fill our plates with these delicious lucky bags!
Ingredients- Cooked rice for 2 servings (using Kawaji No. 1 rice recommended)
- Chives or minnows, appropriate amount (for tying)
- Square fried tofu pouches (Yubu), 10 sheets
- Square rice paper wrappers for spring rolls, 7 sheets
- Imitation crab sticks, 3 sticks
- Sliced ham, 4 slices
- Bean sprouts, a little
- Zucchini, 1/3
- Carrot, 1/3
- Canned pineapple slices, a little
- Eggs, 2
- Salt, a pinch
- Cooking oil, a little
- Sesame oil, a little
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Hello everyone! Today, we’re making ‘Yubu’ pouches filled with luck and fresh spring roll pouches using Kawaji No. 1 rice. Let’s get started by gathering all the necessary ingredients!
Step 2
First, let’s prepare the vegetables for the filling of our ‘Yubu’ pouches. Have 3 imitation crab sticks ready. Wash 1/3 zucchini and 1/3 carrot thoroughly under running water.
Step 3
Finely dice the prepared zucchini, carrot, and imitation crab sticks. Don’t they look wonderfully colorful when chopped like this?
Step 4
Now, heat a pan with a little cooking oil. Add the finely diced zucchini and carrot, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes until tender. The imitation crab sticks don’t need to be stir-fried.
Step 5
Place 1 serving of freshly cooked, warm rice into a bowl. (The stickiness of Kawaji No. 1 rice is perfect for this!)
Step 6
Add the stir-fried zucchini and carrot to the rice.
Step 7
Season with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of sesame oil for a nutty aroma.
Step 8
Mix everything well with a spatula. This is your delicious filling for the ‘Yubu’ pouches! The vibrant colors are so appetizing!
Step 9
Next, let’s prepare the rice for the spring roll pouches. Put 1 serving of freshly cooked rice into a separate bowl.
Step 10
Add a little sesame oil for extra flavor.
Step 11
Add all 3 finely chopped imitation crab sticks.
Step 12
Mix this rice mixture thoroughly with a spatula as well. This completes the spring roll pouch filling. It’s simple yet delicious!
Step 13
Now, let’s prepare the chives (or minnows) that will be used to tie our pouches prettily. Wash the chives thoroughly under cold water and trim off about 1cm from the root ends.
Step 14
Fill a deep pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling vigorously, add the washed chives and blanch for about 1 minute. Blanching them quickly prevents them from becoming tough.
Step 15
Immediately drain the blanched chives and rinse them under cold water to cool them down.
Step 16
Squeeze out the excess water by hand. These will become sturdy chive ribbons for tying your pouches.
Step 17
Since the fried tofu pouches (Yubu) are frozen, place them in a bowl and pour hot water over them to soften them sufficiently. Let them soak until pliable.
Step 18
Once the ‘Yubu’ pouches are softened, gently rinse them under cold water.
Step 19
Gently press out the excess water with your hands. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, as this can tear the ‘Yubu’. A gentle squeeze is key.
Step 20
Using scissors, cut open one side of each square ‘Yubu’ pouch to create an opening for filling.
Step 21
Now, carefully fill each ‘Yubu’ pouch with the prepared rice mixture (with zucchini and carrot) using a teaspoon. Gently press the rice down, being mindful that the ‘Yubu’ is delicate and can tear easily.
Step 22
Once filled, gently fold the opening of the ‘Yubu’ and secure it with toothpicks in a zigzag pattern. This prevents the filling from spilling out.
Step 23
Tie each pouch neatly with the prepared chive ribbons. Don’t pull the chives too tightly, or they might snap. Tie them firmly but gently.
Step 24
After tying with the chive ribbon, carefully remove the securing toothpicks. Trim the excess long ends of the chive ribbons with scissors for a neat finish. This completes your first ‘Yubu’ pouch! Make the remaining 9 pouches in the same way.
Step 25
Ta-da! As you can see, we have 10 ‘Yubu’ pouches, brimming with good fortune! Aren’t they adorable?
Step 26
Now, let’s make the spring roll pouches. Take one square rice paper wrapper.
Step 27
Dip the rice paper in water until it’s moist and pliable. Place a rounded portion of the spring roll filling (with imitation crab) in the center.
Step 28
Lift the four corners of the rice paper and fold them over the filling, gathering them to form a pouch shape similar to the ‘Yubu’ pouches. Secure tightly with a chive ribbon.
Step 29
If the ‘tail’ or gathered part of the pouch is too long, you can trim it with scissors for a neater appearance. Make the rest of the spring roll pouches in the same manner.
Step 30
Look at these generously sized and appetizing spring roll pouches! They’re sure to be a satisfying bite.
Step 31
Next, we’ll make omelets for decoration. Whisk 2 eggs and pour them into a heated pan to make thin, round omelets. These will be used for our ham ‘flowers’. Make two of them.
Step 32
Wash the bean sprouts under cold running water. Prepare the 4 slices of ham and the 2 round omelets you just made. We’ll create beautiful ham ‘flowers’ using these three ingredients.
Step 33
First, fold each slice of ham in half. Then, using scissors, make even cuts as shown in the photo, but don’t cut all the way through to the edge.
Step 34
Roll up the cut ham slices tightly to create beautiful ham ‘flowers’. It’s simpler than it looks!
Step 35
Cut the round omelets in half. Place a bundle of bean sprouts and a ham ‘flower’ in the center.
Step 36
Bring the two ends of the omelet together and tie them with a chive ribbon to complete the elegant ham ‘flower bouquet’! Make the remaining 3 bouquets the same way.
Step 37
Finally, our spring roll & ‘Yubu’ pouches are complete! It certainly took a lot of effort, but the feeling of accomplishment is immense! These are wonderful for lunchboxes or for serving to guests on special occasions. Their charming appearance guarantees they’ll be a hit.
Step 38
Adding some refreshing pineapple slices to the bento box along with the pouches makes for a complete and satisfying meal. Pineapple and spring rolls are a classic combination, after all!
Step 39
It looks like the ham ‘flowers’ have sprouted little green shoots while waiting!
Step 40
These spring roll & ‘Yubu’ pouches made with Kawaji No. 1 rice were a joy to make and incredibly delicious! The feeling of a full mouth and immense satisfaction is wonderful. For a flavor boost, you can dip the spring roll pouches in wasabi sauce and the ‘Yubu’ pouches in soy sauce. Enjoy these lucky bags and have a prosperous year!
