mirin

Sweet cooking wine

Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine used in cooking.

It adds a mild sweetness and subtle depth to dishes, particularly in glazes, marinades, and sauces like teriyaki.

Unlike sake, mirin has lower alcohol content and higher sugar, giving foods a glossy finish: The recipe calls for a tablespoon of mirin.

Japanese

teriyaki

Soy-mirin glazing method

sukiyakiJapanese simmered beef dish
unagiJapanese cuisine's eel
yakitoriSkewered grilled fowl, Japanese-style

donburi · ramen · udon · soba · dashi · soy sauce · miso · izakaya · bento · kaiseki

ingredient

sake

Purpose or interest

rice wineFermented grain alcohol
sugarCrystalline carbohydrate sweetener
sweetenerAdditive reducing bitterness

condiment · seasoning · marinade · glaze · sauce · dressing · cooking wine · pantry · staple · umami

flavor

sweetness

Sugary taste quality

depthDistance below surface
complexityState of being complicated
richnessState of abundance

shine · gloss · balance · mellowness · subtle · delicate · round · smooth · fermented · nuanced

technique

caramelization

Sugar's heat transformation

deglazingDissolving pan drippings
tenderizingMaking food less tough
balancingAchieving equal distribution

brightening · finishing · simmering · reducing · brushing · basting · marinating · glazing · lacquering · sweetening

Categories

ingredientsflour, eggs, salt, pepper, sugar
liquidswater, milk, oil, blood, juice
Japanese foodsushi, ramen, tempura, sashimi, miso
Flavor BoostersMSG, soy sauce, fish sauce, miso, salt
teriyaki ingredientschicken, salmon, beef, tofu, shrimp
cooking winescooking sherry, marsala, dry white, white wine, red wine

Opposites

flavor profile in cooking

mirinrice vinegar

Fermented grain condiment

citrus juice · lemon juice · vinegar · lime juice · sake

culinary function

Fermented bean condiment

salt · fish sauce · tamari · sake · dashi

Familiarity: Top 1,000,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G