Dashi, soy sauce, mirin ratios

[helenjp]

The mirin that I use at present is Takara's Hon-mirin Junryou (junryou means something like "honest goodness!). Ingredients: glutinous rice, rice kouji, foodgrade alcohol, "sugars" (what that hides is anybody's guess).

I picked this because it was the only 1 liter bottle of hon-mirin in the supermarket. If I want a bigger bottle, I have to go to the discount store, and the quality will definitely not be better than this.

It's not that I think Takara is definitely the best, it just happens to be easy to buy.

For New Year's cooking, I buy Takara's organic mirin, because it's one of the few not made with "foodgrade alcohol" (white spirits???). White spirits is not as complex in taste as shochu. The issue really is price - I would use mirin instead of sugar or sake most of the time, if I had a nice, fat income!

I use the best mirin I can when making kinton (and yes, I use only boiled mirin and a little of the syrup the chestnuts come packed in - so my kinton is not very sweet, and it's not gluey with mizu-ame like bought kinton either). I used to make it the normal way with sugar etc, but started "improving" the recipe when I realized that my family eat a lot of home-made kinton but don't like shop-bought kinton at all, and I started wondering about the exact differences between them.

Boiled mirin mixed with good vinegar and salt, and allowed to infuse with some konbu, makes very good, light sushi vinegar too. I'm sorry, I forget the exact ratio, pretty much to taste.

[helenjp]

I like Hiroyuki's 1:1 soy sauce: mirin ratio - easy to remember!

I've been fiddling with a "master list" for about a year, but it's too detailed to memorize, strictly a fridge-magnet version. This is the soy sauce section, for comparison with Hiroyuki's excellent method.

Abbreviations:

* optional

D: dashi

SY soy sauce/shoyu

ST salt

SG sugar

MR mirin

SK sake

V vinegar

Soy sauce and mirin ratio = 1:1

Dipping sauce for nori

Kinpira

Dashi, soy sauce, and mirin ratio = 1:1:1

Teriyaki (chicken, yellowtail, etc.)

Chicken karaage

Pork shoga yaki

4:1:1

Dipping sauce for soba, udon, etc.

Dipping sauce for tempura

8:1:1

This ratio results in happou dashi (versatile dashi). Good for all simmered dishes.

Niku jaga, satoimo no nikkorogashi (simmered taro)

Mine

(Happou dashi versions)

Lazy All-purpose Base

2 SY, 1 MR

1 c SY, 1/2 c MR (or SK), bring to boil with 2 katsuo dashi packs, pour over several lengths of konbu in a jar, use as finshing seasoning for panfried dishes (add SK or SG plus ginger for teriyaki), 3D: 1 base for noodle dip, 8~10 D: 1 base for noodle soup, 10~15 D: 1 base for nimono.

Savory A-P Base

10 SY, 2 SG, 1 MR

Bring SG and MR to boil, add SY, cool, pack.

Tosa Shoyu: add 10 parts by volume (equal to shoyu) of katsuo-bushi (shaved bonito) and boil with other ingredients. Does not keep as well, but excellent with sashimi and adds flavor without significant sweetness.

(Purpose-made Nimono ratios)

Tohoku Grandma nimono for fish: 10D, 1.5 SY, 1 SG, 1 MR, 3+ SK

Modern nimono for fish: 10D, 1 SY, 0.5 SG, 0.5 SK

Kyoto Grandma nimono for vegetables, tofu: 10D, *0.2~0.3 ST, 0.5 SY, *0.5 SG, 1.5 MR or SK

Light Kansai modern nimono:10D, 0.3SY, 1 MR

Light Kanto modern nimono: 10D, 0.5 SY, 0.3 MR

Diabetic: 1 tsp SY and 1 tsp SK per 100g vegetables, 1 additional pinch sugar also acceptable, dashi as needed (estimated 100ml per 100g ingredients).

10:1:1

Hijiki, kiriboshi daikon, okara, komatsuna no nibitashi

Mine: 10D, 0.5 SY, 0.5 SG, 0.5 SK

12:1:1

Soup for hot soba, udon, etc.

Standard: 10D 1+SY, 1-SK (niboshi/katsuo dashi)

Very light: 12D, 1 SY 0.15 MR

15:1:1

Oden

Mine

Favorite light: 10D, 1+SY, 0.25 ST, 1 SG, 1 SK, 1 MR

Rich: 10 beef or chkn stock, 1.5 SY. 0.5 SG, 1 MR, 1 SK

Miscellaneous

Soy sauce, mirin, and citrus juice ratio = 1:1:1

Dressing

Mine

Ponzu dressing/dip: 3 SY, 2 citrus juice or citrus/mirin mix. Add 1 part D for milder flavor.

Nibaizu version: 1 SY, 1~1.5 V, chili flakes or grated citrus peel. Use as yaki-zuke dressing (lighter than traditional nanban-zuke dressing).

Soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil = 3:3:1

Dressing

Mne:

2 p SY, 3 V, 0.5 sesame oil

Soy sauce, mirin, ground sesame seed ratio = 1:1:1

Goma ae

Mine

2 SY, 1 SG or MR, 10 sesame

P.S. Why is this whole post blue, I don't know??

Edited October 15, 2007 by helenjp (log)

[Hiroyuki]

The other day, I bought a whole inada (young yellowtail) to eat as sashimi for supper. I marinated the leftovers in a 1:1:1 mixture of soy sauce, mirin, and sake to make zuke. As I said elsewhere, zuke can keep for about three days provided that it's put in the fridge. I made zuke don for lunch the next day.

[SheenaGreena]

hiroyuki, does the fish cook at all from the soy sauce, dashi, and mirin? I imagine with all that salt from the soy sauce that it must change the consistency.....

[Hiroyuki]

hiroyuki, does the fish cook at all from the soy sauce, dashi, and mirin?  I imagine with all that salt from the soy sauce that it must change the consistency.....

←

Yes, it is seasoned with all the flavors of soy sauce, mirin, and sake. The surface of each slice turns somewhat slimy, but it feels good.

[Domestic Goddess]

I have a question and a plea for help. I'd like to buy mirin here in Korea but so far I have no clue where and what to get. What's the korean for mirin? Can somebody post a picture of a mirin bottle that I can buy here in Korea? Is there such a thing as korean mirin?

[Hiroyuki]

I have a question and a plea for help. I'd like to buy mirin here in Korea but so far I have no clue where and what to get. What's the korean for mirin? Can somebody post a picture of a mirin bottle that I can buy here in Korea? Is there such a thing as korean mirin?

←

Mirin is peculiar to Japan. I'd like to see korean mirin if there is any.

As I said before, if you can't get mirin, simply replace with sake and sugar (1:1). Mirin is about half as sweet as sugar.

[Domestic Goddess]

Oh, so now I guess I have to find sake in Korea. So basically what you are saying Hiroyuki, mirin is just sake mixed with sugar? Hmm, I wonder if korean soju is a substitute for sake?

Edited November 6, 2007 by Domestic Goddess (log)

[Hiroyuki]

Oh, so now I guess I have to find sake in Korea. So basically what you are saying Hiroyuki, mirin is just sake mixed with sugar? Hmm, I wonder if korean soju is a substitute for sake?

←

What I said is the same old trick to do when you just don't have mirin. If you simply want to sweeten, use sugar only. For example, for a soy sauce to mirin ratio of 1:1, replace it with a soy sauce to sugar ratio of 1:0.5. As you know, mirin contains about 14% alcohol, which eliminates odor and prevents ingredients from disintegrating. If you want those effects, add sake also.

As I said somewhere, mirin (I mean, traditional, authentic mirin) contains nine or more types of sugar, providing depth to the dish.

Korean soju is Japanese shochu, distilled spirit. I think you can use it because it contains alcohol, but you can't get the nice flavor of sake.

Anyway, if you ever find Korean mirin, post it here! I will be very interested!

[milgwimper]

Domestic goddess,

I do have a pic of korean cheap mirin, that come in 1.8 liter bottle, not the good stuff ,but it works. I can't load pics, but if you look around the grocery store look for the korean label MIRIN or MIRIM in korean letters. I can't seem to post that either.

A picture of Korean mirin

If you want the authentic mirin then you will have to look for the japanese brands and read the labels. I think there are some Korean brands that are authentic but that is harder to find then the imported stuff.

You can use korean rice wine cheongju filtered rice wine, which would I guess be somewhat like sake. Good luck!

Thanks Hiroyuki and Helenjp between you two I have a lot to play around with. I wish I had some authentic mirin but I used it up before I left California and forgot to buy some by the time I left. Oh well. I still have 1.8 liters to use up of the "fake" Mirin. I don't know what is in it anymore as the little sticky that explained what was in it mysteriously dissapeared while being transported from California to Germany.

[Domestic Goddess]

Milgwimper - thank you! I'm gonna try to scour the local groceries now to look for my elusive mirin.

I promise to post pics, Hiroyuki!

[torakris]

Hi Doddie,

I had a Korean friend over yesterday and I asked her about mirin in Korea. She said that mirin is traditionally used in Korean dishes instead they use a combination of sake and a mizuame type product. I can't think of the Korean name of this product at the moment but it is like a really thick corn syrup. She did say however that Koreans do make a mirin product but it isn't very common instead you should have no problem finding a Japanese import or Korean knock off. In Seoul , she said you should be able to find this mostly in the ares that cater to ex-pats/international areas and the bottles should say mirin/mirim in Korean.

[Domestic Goddess]

Thanks for the info Kris! Next time I am in Itaewon (expat paradise/watering hole), I'm gonna check out the different groceries that have a lot of foregin food stuff.

[Hiroyuki]

Just wanted to put this thread back on page 1.

On Dec. 29, I made satoimo no nikkorogashi (or nikorogashi), using a dashi, mirin, and soy sauce ratio of 8:1:1.

I made it as a kind of osechi ryori. It's still good to eat today (Jan. 1).

[Hiroyuki]

For supper last night, I made clear soup using the dashi I made in the way described in the Kaiseki thread.

I used the 1:3:160 ratio for salt, soy sauce, and dashi, which is suggested in the book (I mean the book titled, "Wariai de Oboeru Wa no Kihon").

Thus, for 800 ml dashi, I used

5 ml (1 tsp) salt

15 ml (1 tbsp) soy sauce

The resultant soup was very good.

(NOTE: I used dark soy sauce (koikuchi), not light (usukuchi). The book says to use light soy sauce. I'm a Kanto person, and have a lot of hesitation about buying more expensive, less flavorful, and saltier light soy sauce.)

When making sushi meshi (sushi rice), I also tried the 1:4:6 ratio for salt, sugar, and vinegar.

Thus, for two cups of uncooked rice, I used

7.5 ml (1/2 tbsp) salt

30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar

45 ml (3 tbsp) vinegar

The resultant sushi rice was less sour than the one I usually make. I usually use more vinegar and less sugar.

[Domestic Goddess]

I went to Ilsan city (a satellite city near Seoul) and found this in the posh Hyudae Dept. Store. The lady said it is mirin.

For those who can read korean (Peter's Yoonhi, Sheena, Milgwimper - help!)

Did I buy mirin?

[prasantrin]

I went to Ilsan city (a satellite city near Seoul) and found this in the posh Hyudae Dept. Store. The lady said it is mirin.

For those who can read korean (Peter's Yoonhi, Sheena, Milgwimper - help!)

Did I buy mirin?

←

I'm not any of the above people, nor can I read Korean, but just out of curiousity I did a search and found this mirin which has the same characters as yours. So....you have a winner!!

[helenjp]

I can't read Korean either, but I think it's probably mirin too - notice the same symbol on the right of each of the first two characters, which suggests it has the same vowel sound, and a non-vowel consonant sound for the last character...(I think...I thought I would study Korean over the radio once, long ago, but morning sickness intervened!).

[Domestic Goddess]

I'm doing a happy dance back here.

[nakji]

It says, "mi ring", which I'd say is close enough.

[Domestic Goddess]

I figured it as such Nakji. I'll be trying it out tomorrow when I make Oyakudon. I'll report back on the taste and how it turns out.

[Lucil]

i am not sure of the dashi amounts.. to cook for 2 people, how many much dashi powder do i need??? and how many litres of water should i add it into???

Edited May 7, 2008 by Lucil (log)

[MoGa]

i am not sure of the dashi amounts.. to cook for 2 people, how many much dashi powder do i need??? and how many litres of water should i add it into???

←

There is no set answer for this. Dashi is made at different strengths for different dishes and there is no pre-determined quantity suitable for everything. Also ready made dashi (powdered and liquid) come in varying strengths just as 'Western' bouillon and stock cubes do.

Could you tell us what kind of food/recipe you intend to use the dashi in?

It would also be helpful to know which brand you are using.

If you can provide a little more information we can provide a much more helpful answer

[Hiroyuki]

If Lucil is referring to instant dashi in powder form that is made in Japan, the answer is probably one heaped teaspoon of powder per 600 ml of water. That is the proper ratio indicated on the packages of the instant dashi powder products that I have used.

Despite the manufacturers' recommendations, I usually put one teaspoon (not heaped) per 600 ml of water, and sometimes less than one teaspoon.

[Lucil]

1 cup in japanese measurement means how many mililitres?? and how do you store leftover dashi?? do u prepare dashi at the minimum 600ml of water??