Recipes of Japanese sauce for “Tonkatsu”, “Okonomiyaki”, and “Yakisoba”

The previous post shows the characteristics of Japanese-style Worcetershrire sauce. Then, this article show how to make that sauce with LEA & PERRINS Worcetershrire Sauce or BBQ sauce.

①The recipe based on LEA & PERRINS Worcetershrire Sauce

First, the sauce recipe with LEA & PERRINS Worcetershrire Sauce.

What is LEA & PERRINS Worcetershrire Sauce?

LEA & PERRINS Worcetershrire Sauce is the world’s first Worcetershrire sauce.

Incidents (in UK):
Malt Vinegar (from Barley), Spirit Vinegar, Molasses, Sugar, Salt, Anchovies (Fish), Tamarind Extract, Onions, Garlic, Spice, Flavourings

It contains only a little vegetables contrary to Japanese one.  Especially, Japanese one is made from a lot of tomato, but LEA & PERRINS’s one contains no tomato. On the other hand, Anchovies and many spices make the sauce’s flavor richer.

The seasonings to make Worcetershrire Sauce closer to Japanese one

Basic additional seasonings

1. Tomato ketchup : Tomato makes the sauce thicker and sweeter.
2. Sugar：Especially for Tonkatsu and Okonomiyaki, make the sauce sweeter.
3. Soy sauce：For Japanese, soy sauce flavor is very popular. Most of Japanese worcetershrire sauce contains soy sauce.

Optional seasonings

1. Granulated Japanese soup stock : This is good for Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba sauces. It contains Kombu(Japanese seaweed) and Katsuobushi(Bonito Flakes).  Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba themselves also contain Japanese soup stock or Katsuobushi, so this goes well with the sauce. It’s popular product name is  “Hondashi”.
2. Lemon : A few drops of lemon juice make the sauce less spicy, because citric acid in lemons  suppresses capsaicin in chilies. Don’t add too much lemon, or the sauce becomes too sour.
3. Banana : Banana adds sweetness and fruity aroma. If the sauce with banana is heated by a microwave, the sauce becomes thicker and fruitier.

Heating effect

Acetic acid in vinegar has a higher boiling point than water, so when boiled together, the water evaporates first. In other words, the acid becomes thicker and sour. However, sugar and granulated Japanese soup stock need heat to melt.

Add water with the sauce, heat about 20 seconds by a microwave without plastic wrap. Because of evaporation of vinegar and spicy aroma, you may feel the smell of sauce stronger, but when cool down you may feel the smell become milder.

Recipes of Japanese style sauce with Worcetershrire Sauce

The following shows how to make Japanese style sauce with Worcetershrire Sauce. Depending on the menu, add or reduce (+ -) seasonings to basic recipe.

① Basic recipe

Worcetershrire Sauce：2 table spoon
Tomato kechup　　   ：2 table spoon
Sugar　　　　　　     ：2 table spoon
Water                      ：1 table spoon
Soy sauce                ：1 tea spoon

Mix all seasonings and water, heat 20-30 seconds, then mix again. Cook Recipe ②～⑤ in the same way as this.

②For “TONKATSU” (Pork cutlet)   – sweet and fruity –

（１）the recipe with lemon
① Basic recipe
＋　a few drops of lemon juice

（２）the recipe with apple and lemon

If you use apple, reduce sugar and water.

①Basic recipe
－ 　Water    ：1 table spoon
－ 　Sugar　 ：0.5 table spoon
＋ 　Grated Apple (or apple juice)：1 table spoon
＋ 　Lemon  ：a few drops

③ For “Okonomiyaki” (Japanese pancake)   – sweet and Japanese soup stock taste –

①Basic recipe
＋　Japanese soup stock：1 table spoon

④For “Yaki-Soba / Yaki-Udon” (Fried noodles) – spicy and Japanese soup stock taste –

① Basic recipe
－　Sugar　：1 table spoon
＋　Granulated Japanese soup stock ：1 table spoon
＋　Water　：1 table spoon

⑤ For “Korokke” (Japanese fried mashed potato) – sweet and tropical –

① Basic recipe
＋　Lemon  ：a few drops
＋　Banana ：a little

② The recipe based on BBQ sauce

Not only LEA & PERRINS Worcetershrire Sauce, BBQ sauces also can be used to make the sauce close to Japanese-style worcetershrire sauce.

About BBQ sauce

The taste of BBQ sauce is different depending on the product. Some are smoky, and some are sweet. Popular BBQ sauce, “Heinz Classic Original Barbecue Sauce” is made from sugar, vinegar, tomato paste and many spices like onion and garlic. Moreover, its smoky flavor makes the sauce something special.

Another BBQ sauce, “Yoshida BBQ sauce”, its base taste is also tomato, and it is sweet, thick and less sour.

On the other hand, each BBQ sauce doesn’t contains so much amino acid and the extract of meet or fish.  The meet for BBQ contains so much Umami, so there is no need to add more Umami by sauce.

The seasonings to make BBQ sauce closer to Japanese worcetershrire sauce

1. Tomato ketchup : BBQ sauce contains tomato ketchup, but not enough.
2. Soy sauce ：Add Japanese popular taste and smell.
3. Oyster sauce : Japanese worcetershrire sauce also contains oyster extract. Oyster sauce has rich taste because it also contains sugar, salt, and vinegar. So use only a little.

Recipes of Japanese style sauce with BBQ sauce

Basic recipe

BBQ sauce　　　：1 table spoon
Tomato ketchup ：1 table spoon
Soy sauce   　　：1 table spoon
Oyster sauce     ：2 tea spoon

Adjust the amounts of condiments depending on the taste of your BBQ sauce or the purpose.

For Tonkatsu and Korokke

Add sugar or apple or lemon, and make the sauce sweeter.

For Yaki-soba

Reduce the amount of BBQ sauce and oyster sauce, and add granulated Japanese soup stock.

P.S.

Tonkatsu and Okonomiyaki is easy to cook with the ingredients you can get, and the taste is popular with people all over the world.

Let’s cook Japanese style sauce, and enjoy Japanese dishes!