A classic, clear, concentrated Japanese sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, kombu, and dried bonito flakes. An authentic base for soba, udon, somen, or dipping broths.
Ingredients
- 250 ml Japanese dark soy sauce
- 150 ml Japanese hon mirin
- 100 ml Japanese cooking sake
- 35 g granulated white sugar
- 10 g dried Japanese kombu kelp
- 20 g dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
Method
- Gently wipe the kombu with a barely damp cloth without washing it completely: the fine white powdery coating on the surface contributes valuable flavor. Place it in a saucepan with the mirin and sake, then let it soak cold for 30 minutes until the kelp softens and becomes pliable.
- Warm the saucepan over low heat (about 140 °F to 160 °F / 60 °C to 70 °C) for 5 to 7 minutes. Watch closely: tiny bubbles about 1 to 2 mm wide should form around the edges without a full boil. Remove the kombu immediately once the temperature reaches 175 °F (80 °C) or at the very first gentle simmer, before it releases any bitterness.
- Add the Japanese soy sauce and granulated sugar. Stir gently with a spoon, then maintain a very gentle, steady simmer (between 185 °F and 195 °F / 85 °C and 90 °C) for 5 minutes, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the surface turns dark and glossy, without letting the liquid reduce.
- Turn off the heat, immediately add the dried bonito flakes, and let steep off the heat for exactly 5 minutes. The flakes will float at first and then slowly sink to the bottom as they hydrate; do not stir or press them.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a paper filter, letting it drain naturally for 3 to 5 minutes without pressing the solids to keep the broth crystal clear.
- Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator at 40 °F (4 °C) for at least 12 hours before using to allow the flavors to mellow and round out.
- To serve as a cold noodle dipping sauce (mentsuyu), dilute the tsuyu with ice water or chilled dashi at a ratio of about 1 part tsuyu to 2 or 3 parts water. For hot noodle soup broth, dilute with hot dashi at 175 °F (80 °C) at a ratio of 1 part tsuyu to 5 or 6 parts dashi, without bringing it to a boil.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 213.2 kcal
- Protein
- 9.29 g
- Carbohydrate
- 30.31 g
- Fat
- 0.29 g
- Fibre
- 0.2 g
- Calcium
- 17.39 mg
- Iron
- 1.08 mg
- Magnesium
- 52.46 mg
