Kabayaki Tare (蒲焼のたれ) Sweet Soy Sauce

Condiments, Japanese

Ingredients

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/8 cup sake
2 tbsp sugar

Description

Sweet-savory soy glaze for grilled eel, fish, tofu, or vegetables

Directions

1. Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, 1/8 cup sake, and 2 tbsp sugar in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and reduce by about a third, until lightly syrupy and it coats a spoon. Stir occasionally to avoid scorching.
3. Cool to room temperature; it thickens further as it cools. Store refrigerated up to ~2 weeks.

Notes

Makes the everyday vegan version. For a deeper restaurant flavor, traditional recipes simmer the sauce with eel bones/heads. To mimic the commercial umami without eel, add a splash of kombu/shiitake dashi or a pinch of glutamate-rich seasoning. For a thicker glaze (like the bottled ones), whisk in a tiny cornstarch slurry at the end.