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Japanese Ingredients
Mirin
Sweet Cooking Rice Wine
If you want to move your Japanese cooking up to the next level, learn to use mirin.
Called "sweet cooking sake," it is one of the basic condiments of Japanese cuisine, and is essential for cooking it to a higher standard. The type that is fermented from mochi rice, malted rice and shochu liquor is called “hon-mirin” (true mirin), and contains around 14% alcohol.
The sweetness of hon-mirin has a richness to it, because, in contrast to regular table sugar, it comes from rice. It gives dishes an attractive glaze and a deep flavor. It also suppresses the odor of fresh fish, protects meat and fish ingredients from breaking down when boiled and helps the taste of soup to penetrate into their ingredients.
Hon-mirin should not be refrigerated. Keep it at room temperature, away from high temperatures and direct sunlight.
Other than hon-mirin, there are cheap mirin-fuu (mirin-style) condiments, which are made to resemble hon-mirin, and contain no alcohol. Mirin-fuu products must be kept refrigerated.
Hakusen Shuzou
Hakusen Shuzou was founded in the 18th century in the small town of Kawabe, Gifu Prefecture, located 40 km northeast of Nagoya. Fukuraijin Honmirin is made using a 400 year-old traditional method (using glutinous rice, koji and 41% rice shochu without any preservatives) and has a fine reputation for its complex sweet flavor.
Fukuraijun Honmirin
Mirin, the sweetest type of sake, appeared during the mid-16th century. Fukuraijun Honmirin (matured for 3 years) is produced using an old time recipe, and has a rich and mature flavor and aroma perfect not only for cooking but also as an after-dinner drink. Hakusen Shuzou is the only company to market this class of mirin in Japan.
Teriyaki Cuisine
Ingredients: (serves 2)
Chicken thighs...7 oz
(or pork or beef loin – 2 slices)
Vegetable oil...1 tbsp
Ginger...1 tbsp (grated)
Fukuraijun Honmirin...2 tbsps
Soy sauce...2 tbsps
How to cook
1. Mix the ingredients for the Teriyaki Sauce in a bowl.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet, lay the chicken thighs within. When heated through, pour the sauce above and coast the chicken thighs with the sauce thoroughly. Simmer over a low heat for about 1 min.
3. Arrange the chicken thighs on plates and garnish with your favorite vegetable.
Hakusen Shuzou
28 Nakakawabe, Kawabe-cho, Kamo-gun, Gifu, 509-0304, Japan
tel: +81-574-43-3835
fax: +81-574-43-3878
e-mail: info@hakusenshuzou.jp
website: www.hakusenshuzou.jp
contact: Fumiaki Yamada
King Brewing Co., Ltd.
King Brewing Co., Ltd. of Japan started business in the year 1900 and is now one of the leading manufacturers of mirin, sake, liqueur and a great variety of seasonings for Japanese cuisine.
Shinmiryo
Shinmiryo has a subtle natural sweetness, and its balanced flavor makes it a very versatile condiment. Shinmiryo is used for dishes such as nimono (simmered dishes), for marinating and glazing, and teriyaki sauce.
Yakitori
Chicken breasts...2
Scallions...3 stalks
Bamboo skewers...8 (soaked in water)
Sugar...1 tbsp
Sake...2 tbsps
Shinmiryo...3 tbsps
Soy sauce...3 tbsps
How to cook
1. Cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
2. Cut the scallions into one-inch lengths.
3. Skewer the chicken and scallion pieces in alternating order.
4. Mix sugar, sake, Shinmiryo and soy sauce in a bowl.
5. Grill the skewered chicken over coal grill, basting with teriyaki sauce until the chicken is cooked.
King Brewing Co., Ltd.
382-7 Kakko, Inami-cho, Kako-gun, Hyogo, 675-1105, Japan
tel: +81-79-492-7961
fax: +81-79-492-7962
e-mail: KYG06514@nifty.com
website: www.hinode-mirin.co.jp
contact: Yasuki Nakai
Zuiyo Co., Ltd.
Zuiyo Co., Ltd. was established in 1867 in Kawashiri, Kumamoto, Japan. We produce Japanese sake, a Japanese spirit called shochu, and a Kumamoto original traditional liquor called Akasake.
Akasake Mirin
Akasake (Akazake) is a traditional liquor brewed in the Kumamoto area. Akasake Mirin is made from rice and other ingredients, and brewed using the old Japanese sake manufacturing process. The distinctive characteristic of this brewing process is the addition of wood ash into the sake mixture after the end of the fermentation. Wood ash is alkaline and neutralizes the acidity of the sake mixture, which helps to preserve it without heat sterilization. Akasake Mirin is brewed in this way to restrain the alcohol content, so that much of the sweetness and flavor of the rice remains. The slightly alkaline Akasake Mirin, when used for cooking, has the effect of preserving the tenderness of meat or fish. Akasake Mirin can be use for cooking a variety of dishes, for teriyaki sauce, sukiyaki sauce, and Japanese simmered dishes.
Zuiyo Co., Ltd.
25 Knickerbocker Road, Moonachie, NJ 07074
tel: 201-933-9555
fax: 201-933-7791
e-mail: ami@nymtc.com
website: www.zuiyo.co.jp
contact: Ami Nakanishi (New York Mutual Trading, Inc.)
Fundodai International Co., Ltd.
Fundodai Fermented Mirin
Fundodai Fermented Mirin is made through cutting-edge methods of extracting umami and sweetness from rice. It has a clear and bright color, soft and sweet fragrance, and sweetly rich taste. It can be used to add brightness to the flavor of a dish and to makes unpleasant aromas.
Fundodai International Co., Ltd.
3F Uchida Bldg., 3-1-36 Oe, Kumamoto City, Kumamoto, 862-0971, Japan
tel: +81-96-211-4566
fax: +81-96-211-4567
e-mail: fic@fundodai.co.jp
website : www.fundodai.co.jp
contact : Momomi Ohta