Mirin sauce

Japanese national dishes belong to an ancient and distinctive school of culinary excellence. In order to master the skills of cooking Japanese cuisine, it is not enough to read the recipe or regularly cook rolls. Of course, the popularity of Japanese sushi is undeniable for domestic foodies and lovers of Asian cuisine. Apart from a dish of rice, seaweed and seafood, however, the land of the rising sun boasts no culinary masterpiece.

Most of all, in Japanese dishes, the harmonious combination of tastes of all compound ingredients surprises and amazes. Moreover, the main priority for the inhabitants of Japan has always remained the benefits of food. Japanese craftsmen have not a single trump card in their arsenal in the form of original spices, seasonings or sauces. Sometimes only one ingredient can tie together all the components of a dish and turn it into a real culinary masterpiece of national Japanese cuisine.

At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries in Japan, women were allowed to consume a sweet wine called mirin. Although the drink was considered alcoholic, its strength rarely exceeded 14 degrees. Over time, the female sake transformed into mirin sauce, which began to be used in cooking since the beginning of the 19th century. The originality of Japanese mirin sauce lies in the composition of the product. Wine, as well as mirin sauce, is made using koji sourdough, alcohol and rice grains.

Mirin sauce, along with soy sauce, as well as dashi (broth base of all first courses) are referred to the three "whales" of the Japanese culinary tradition. The fundamental difference between a drink and a mirin sauce lies in the strength of the product. Mirin sauce refers to a variety of wine, the strength of which does not exceed 1%. Mirin sauce was originally called Sin mirin, which translates as a new mirin. There is also Hon mirin wine or real mirin, the strength of such a drink is classic 14% and Sio mirin is a drink with salt.

It is noteworthy that mirin sauce is combined with almost all the ingredients of national Japanese dishes. Moreover, thanks to the subtle and sweet taste, as well as the soft invisible aroma, mirin sauce perfectly emphasizes the taste combinations traditional for Japanese cuisine. Mirin sauce is distinguished by its low alcohol content in its composition, which is perfect for preparing dishes from sharply smelling fish. Mirin sauce is able to rectify the situation. During the preparation process, the sauce will give the dish a pleasant fish aroma.

Mirin sauce is perfect as a marinade for the components of meat dishes. The meat marinated in the sauce is soft and has a pleasant aroma. Mirin can be added to products during roasting, as well as make sauces. For example, teriyaki sauce includes mirin. Most Japanese salads are seasoned with mirin sauce, and they are also seasoned with sushi rice, miso soup and broths for various noodle dishes.