Pour the rice into a rice cooker (I’m using my pink Tiger Rice Cooker, which I LOVE, which you can purchase here) and rinse several times to clean the rice. Fill the rice cooker with enough water to reach the level 1 marking, and set to the quick cooking or plain setting.

In the meantime, slice the aburaage in half, to create 2 pockets from each sheet. Use a chopstick to open the pockets. Boil the aburaage for 1 minute, then drain and place them in bowl of cold water. Drain again by stacking them together and squeezing to remove any excess water.

Place the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, water and dashi stock in a pot and mix together. Add the aburaage and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and drop a small plate into the pot to submerge the aburaage. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to ¼, then remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

Combine the white vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Once the rice has finished cooking, add this mixture and mix well with a rice spatula. Divide the rice into 7 portions and shape into little ovals. Wetting your hands before handling the rice will make this process much easier.

Gently squeeze the aburaage to remove any excess liquid, then stick one rice ball into each aburaage pocket. Arrange on a serving platter of your choice.

Cut antlers and eyes out of a sheet of nori seaweed. Place the antlers on some sliced cheese and trace around them with a knife. Cut out little ears out of the remaining 1 aburaage. Use the back of a piping tip to cut circles out of the red part of kani kamaboko. These will be the reindeer’s noses. Stick the eyes and noses onto the reindeer. Make a slit in each side of the inarizushi and stick an antler inside. Cover up the opening with an ear.