Unagi no Tare (Eel Sauce)

sweet soy glaze for grilled eel

Makes 1.25 cups · 39 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 200 g Soy Sauce
• 200 g Mirin
• 100 g Sake
• 100 g White Sugar

Method

1. 1. Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar.
2. 2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer and cook, stirring now and then, until it reduces by about a third and coats the back of a spoon, ~10–15 min; it keeps thickening as it cools, so pull it while still pourable.
3. 3. Cool, then store in the fridge; brush over grilled eel, or drizzle on rice, tofu, or sushi.

Notes

Contains no eel — it's the sweet soy glaze brushed on grilled eel (kabayaki), and the same “eel sauce” drizzled over sushi and rice bowls. It also works on black cod, with one difference that matters: packaged unagi kabayaki is sold already grilled and only needs reheating, while sablefish is raw and has to cook through. Broil the fillets skin-side up about 15 cm from the element for 8–10 min, until they flake at the thickest point, brushing the tare on over the last 2–3 min so the sugar doesn't burn. They need no added oil.