I can’t count the times that I’ve seen teriyaki in anime – I’m thinking of things like grilled vegetables at a barbecue, stir fried meat and vegetables, and broiled fish… but I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen the ingredient behind all those dishes: teriyaki sauce!
That’s why today I’ll be sharing a recipe for this very versatile sauce with you! I almost always have a bottle of homemade teriyaki sauce in my fridge, and I use it in many dishes, namely Salisbury steak (or, hamburger steak in Japan), which I will be sharing in my next post.
Admittedly, the image in this post from the anime series K doesn’t have anything to do with teriyaki… but, let’s just pretend that Shiro is getting a “bento donation” of a piece of teriyaki salmon…?
And, yes, I am calling teriyaki sauce a “gateway sauce”…
About the recipe:
Teriyaki sauce is a marinade that is based on a combination of mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. It is salty and sweet, and is used to many dishes including meats, fish, and vegetables. It’s a very useful item to have in your fridge, and it is very easy to make.
This sauce stores pretty well and for a long time, as long as you keep it in the fridge. Drizzle on meat, fish, or vegetables for a quick marinade or sauce.
One thing I like to do is cut up chicken into bite-size pieces and marinade it with a couple tablespoons of sauce and about a teaspoon of cornstarch. After a few minutes, I fry the meat up in a pan and then use it as a component in my daily bento box. Sometimes I add peas or minced onion as well. It’s a quick and easy dish to make when I’m in a pinch!
About the ingredients:
Use Japanese soy sauce for this recipe! It is lighter and sweeter Chinese soy sauce, and using another type of soy sauce will change the taste of your teriyaki sauce.
Mirin is a kind of rice wine mixed with sugar, to create a very sweet condiment. It’s available in most grocery stores.
Sake is a nice addition to the teriyaki sauce, but is not essential. While it adds another layer of flavour and depth to the sauce, if it’s not in your pantry, don’t worry about it!
The recipe:
Teriyaki Sauce
Makes about 1 cup of sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (plus 2 tablespoons) Japanese soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 2 tbsp sake (optional)
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together, ensuring that the sugar has completely dissolved before using.
Source: My mother-in-law!
Itadakimasu Anime! 