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Eel Sauce

4

15 min

Eel Sauce

Eel Sauce Photo 1

Time

15 min

Serving

6 persons

Calories

121

Rating

4.00★ (64)

Cuisine

Japanese
Author: Victoria Bailey
Eel sauce is also called nitsume or kabayaki sauce, and unagi no tare in Japanese. It's a sweet and salty sauce that goes great over grilled fish or chicken and is a common drizzle over sushi. Traditionally it is used on Japanese grilled eel and eel rolls. I also use this sauce over fresh cooked noodles for a quick snack. A half cup of dashi may be added to create a richer, more authentic flavor. (Dashi is a Japanese stock that is best made at home.)

Ingredients

  • soy sauce: 0.5 cup
  • white sugar: 0.5 cup
  • mirin (Japanese sweet wine): 0.5 cup

Metric Conversion

Stages of cooking

Eel Sauce Photo 2 1
  1. Heat soy sauce, sugar, and mirin in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until liquid is reduced to about 3/4 cup.
    Eel Sauce Photo 2

History of the Eel Sauce

Eel sauce, also known as nitsume, kabayaki sauce or unagi no tare, is a traditional Japanese condiment commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It all started with the grilled eel dish, which has been consumed in Japan for centuries. Eel sauce was created as a way to enhance the flavor of the grilled eel and make it more appetizing. Due to its delicious, sweet and salty taste, eel sauce quickly became popular and is now used as a condiment for many dishes, including sushi, chicken, and fish.

Tips and Tricks for Eel Sauce Recipe

Making eel sauce is easy and requires only a few ingredients, but there are a few tips and tricks to ensure that your sauce turns out perfect. One of the most important tips is to use high-quality soy sauce and mirin. The quality of these ingredients can make or break the flavor of the sauce.

Another important tip is to monitor the heat of the saucepan carefully. When making eel sauce, the liquid needs to be cooked down to a syrupy consistency. However, if the heat is too high, it can burn the sugar and soy sauce mixture. It's best to keep the heat on medium-low.

Lastly, you can create a richer and more authentic flavor by adding dashi to the sauce. Dashi is a traditional Japanese stock that is made with kombu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). You can make dashi at home or purchase it from a Japanese grocery store.

Tips for presenting the dish

Eel sauce is a versatile condiment that can be used in many different dishes. If you are serving it as a topping for grilled eel, you can drizzle it over the eel and serve it with rice. If you are using it as a dipping sauce for sushi, you can serve it in a small dish alongside your rolls.

For a fun and creative presentation, you can also use eel sauce to create a decorative design on your plate. Simply pour the sauce into a squeeze bottle and use it to create whatever design you like on the plate. This will add an extra touch of elegance to your dish.

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