Substitute Japanese Hon-Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine)

Submitted by Weber

"A quick way to blend a reasonable substitute for Mirin in Japanese sauces and dishes."

 

• Ready In: 10mins
• Ingredients: 3
• Yields: 1 cup of Mirin

ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup good quality drinking sake
• 1⁄4 cup white sugar or 1/4 cup white corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons water

directions

1. Mix sugar and water and bring to a slight boil for a few minutes.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Add Sake to the mixture a small bit at a time until the desired sweetness is achieved.
4. True Hon-Mirin is very expensive and difficult to obtain outside of Japan.
5. While this shortcut does not have the full flavor and complexity of a true Hon-Mirin, it is an adequate substitute when used as a sweetener in certian Japanese sauces such as teriyaki.

Reviews

[tlkerr]

This recipe worked great in my Nikujaga! I wasn't able to find Mirin but had Sake. I found the corn syrup to be a better option because you didn't have to wait for it to dissolve like the sugar.

 

[Space Burger Steve]

The only thing I use mirin for is teriyaki marinade, and I couldn't find any a while ago, so I decided to give this a try. It worked great! Excellent way to use up stale sake, too!

 

[Cypress]

thanks so much for posting this, as i can never find mirin. not even in specialty Asian stores for some reason! it's the strangest thing. i will be using this in the many Japanese and Asian recipes i have.