Teriyaki sauce is a savory-sweet Japanese condiment primarily used as a glaze or marinade for grilled meats, fish, and vegetables. The name itself reflects its function: “teri” refers to the characteristic shine or luster it gives to food, while “yaki” refers to the cooking method of grilling or broiling.
Authentic Japanese teriyaki consists of only four staples: soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), sake, and sugar.
Ingredients
- 60ml Soy Sauce
- 60ml Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- If mirin is not available use dry sherry or white wine with a teaspoon of sugar or honey
- 60ml Sake (dry Japanese rice wine)
- If sake is not available use Chinese/Japanese cooking wine or dry white wine
- 30g Unrefined Cane Sugar (or granulated sugar, honey, maple syrup)
Alternative Ingredients
If Mirin and Sake are not available you can make a less traditional version using these ingredients instead.
- 100ml Soy Sauce
- 100ml Water
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar (Provides the acidity of Sake)
- 4 tbsp Brown Sugar or Honey (Provides the sweetness and thickness of Mirin)
Method
- Put all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Simmer for 10–20 minutes until the volume reduces by about half (leaving you with ~90–100ml of thick, glossy glaze). This stage will likely take longer with larger quantities.
Use
- Stir Fry – add the sauce at the end of the stir fry process.
- Marinade – Use the sauce before reducing it (or only lightly reduced). The thinner consistency allows the soy sauce and sake to penetrate the meat or tofu more effectively.
- Glaze – Simmer the sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Brush it onto your protein (like salmon or chicken) during the last 2–3 minutes of cooking.
Variations
- Add a few slices of fresh ginger or a crushed garlic clove before simmering.
Quantity
- Yields approximately 90-100ml of sauce. Use 30-60ml for a single serving stir fry, depending on preference and amount of vegetables.