Mirin is an essential seasoning for Japanese cuisine. However, it is difficult to get Mirin outside Japan.
Therefore, this article explains “What is Mirin” , “What can be substituted for MIRIN” and so on.
Nutrition facts of MIRIN
Mirin is sweet cooking sake (rice wine).
The main elements are alcohol:14% and sugar:40%. It also contains umami elements such as amino acids.
Effects of MIRIN
1. Effects of MIRIN’s sugar → adding glaze, sweetness and umami
Example: Teriyaki Chicken
2. Effects of MIRIN’s sugar and alcohol → preventing from loosing the shape
Example: Simmered Squash
3. Effects of MIRIN’s alcohol → taking away the smell of meat and fish, and letting the flavor soak in.
Example: Teriyaki Fish
Substitutes for MIRIN
“Oh, I have no mirin!“ In that case…don’t worry!
Let’s use the mixture of 1 tbsp alcoholic drink & 1 tsp sugar or honey, instead of 1 tbsp MIRIN.
For stewed dishes, cola also can add sweetness and flavor.
Actually, cola’s flavor is not so much similar to MIRIN, but not bad for strong taste dishes.
“Mirin seasoning”, which is different from MIRIN
“Mirin seasoning (Non-Alcoholic MIRIN)” is different from MIRIN. It is made from syrup and many seasonings. It is cheaper than MIRIN because it has zero alcohol.
In addition, there is also “Mirin seasoning” which contains alcohol. However, it is salty and not suitable for a drink, so it’s tax are cheaper than MIRIN.
In order to differentiate between these products, original MIRIN that is made from only glutinous rice, rice-malt and shochu(a kind of Sake), is sometimes called “Hon Mirin“. “Hon” means genuine in Japanese.
Actually, most of “MIRIN” sold outside Japan are “Mirin seasoning”. Please check the ingredients.
However, it is not bad choice to use them because these are easier to get than Hon MIRIN.
Summary
Mirin is an important seasoning for Japanese cooking. However, if you have no MIRIN, you can use sake & sugar or Mirin seasoning instead of MIRIN. Let’s enjoy Japanese cooking using what you can get.
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