Most teriyaki in the United States is sweet first and savoury second. Ours goes the other way, and it is the dish guests most often tell us tastes different from what they expected.
Mirin, Not Syrup
The sweetness comes from mirin reduced slowly, not from sugar stirred in at the end. Reducing takes twenty minutes longer and gives a glaze that coats without turning sticky as it cools.
The ratio we settled on
| Ingredient | Part |
|---|---|
| Soy | 3 |
| Mirin | 3 |
| Sake | 1 |
| Ginger and garlic | to taste |
Glaze at the End, Not the Start
Chicken goes on the grill plain. Sauce goes on in the last ninety seconds, in two thin coats. Brush it on early and the sugars burn before the meat is cooked through.
A glaze should catch the light and stop there. If it pools on the plate, it was too thick.
Served with rice and miso soup, it is the plate we send out most, and the one we have changed least.