Description
A traditional Japanese recipe featuring tender, flavorful grilled eel served atop sticky Japanese short-grain rice, enhanced with a rich, caramelized unagi sauce made from sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugars. This homemade delight perfectly balances sweet, savory, and smoky flavors, delivering an authentic taste of Japanese cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp turbinado sugar
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar
- 75 ml sake
- 75 ml mirin
- 75 ml Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
Eel and Rice
- 300 g filleted eels
- 2 tbsp sake (for steaming)
- 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- Japanese sansho pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Gather all ingredients and equipment needed for the sauce and eel cooking process.
- Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 3 tbsp turbinado sugar and 1 tsp dark brown sugar. Heat over medium-high heat until the sugars start to melt and release a pleasant caramel aroma.
- Add liquids to the sauce: Pour in 75 ml sake and 75 ml mirin. Bring the mixture to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally until bubbly and fragrant.
- Simmer with soy sauce: Reduce heat to low and mix in 75 ml Japanese soy sauce. You may optionally add grilled eel bones and heads to enhance flavor. Continue simmering for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Prepare the eel: Rinse the 300 g filleted eels under cold running water, pat dry gently, and cut into halves or thirds to manageable sizes.
- Steam the eel: In a large frying pan, place the eel skin-side down. Add 2 tbsp sake and cover with a lid. Steam over medium-low heat for 3 minutes to retain moisture.
- Preheat the grill: While steaming, preheat your grill or broiler to medium-high heat.
- Grill the eel – first side: Transfer the eel to a wire rack lined with aluminum foil, skin side down. Grill for 6 minutes or until slight charring begins.
- Grill the eel – second side: Flip the eel and grill the skin side for about 5 minutes until it becomes lightly charred and crispy.
- Glaze with sauce: Brush the unagi sauce generously over the skin and grill for 30 seconds. Flip the eel, apply sauce to the meat side, and grill another 30 seconds. Repeat this glazing process three times on each side to build a luscious coat of sauce.
- Prepare rice: Serve 2 portions of cooked Japanese short-grain rice. Lightly brush the tops with any leftover unagi sauce for enhanced flavor.
- Assemble and serve: Place the grilled eel on top of the rice. Drizzle with additional sauce and sprinkle with Japanese sansho pepper for a bright, aromatic finish.
Notes
- If eel bones and heads are unavailable, omit them without affecting the sauce’s quality.
- Adjust the sweetness of the unagi sauce by varying the sugar quantities slightly to your taste.
- Use freshly cooked or well-warmed Japanese short-grain rice for the best texture and flavor pairing.
- Japanese sansho pepper is optional but adds a distinctive citrusy spice that complements eel nicely.
- Ensure the grill is preheated properly to achieve the characteristic slight char and smoky flavor.
