Mirin

Mirin is a sweet rice wine used only for cooking. It is made by fermenting steamed glutinous rice with koji and a distilled rice spirit, which leaves a thick, golden liquid with a clean sweet taste. It balances salty soy sauce, gives sauces a shine and helps hide fishy smells.

How to use it

• Teriyaki sauce. Mix equal parts soy sauce, mirin and sake, with a little sugar if you like. Simmer until syrupy and brush over fish, chicken or tofu as a glaze.
• Noodle broths and dipping sauces. Mix with dashi and soy sauce for udon, soba and tempura dips.
• Simmered dishes. Add it to stews and braised vegetables for sweetness.
• Dressings. Use a little with rice vinegar and soy sauce to dress salads.

Real mirin has about 14 percent alcohol. When you use it in a cold dressing, simmer it for a minute or two first to cook off the alcohol. In cooked dishes, most of the alcohol cooks off, though some always remains.

Substitutes

• 1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry plus 1 teaspoon sugar for each tablespoon of mirin. This is the closest swap.
• Dry white wine with sugar, in the same ratio.
• For an alcohol-free version, use water or rice vinegar with sugar, about 1 tablespoon liquid and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add less if using vinegar, as it is sour.

How to store it

Real mirin keeps in a cool cupboard after opening. Mirin-style seasonings have less alcohol, so keep them in the fridge once opened. Either way, it is best within a few months.

In recipes

There are two kinds on the shelf. Hon mirin is true mirin. Mirin-style seasonings, often labeled aji-mirin, contain little or no alcohol and are sweetened with syrup. They are cheaper and work in most recipes, but they taste sweeter and simpler. Read the label if you avoid alcohol. Do not confuse mirin with sake, which is drier, or with Shaoxing wine, which is a darker Chinese cooking wine.