Question about clams and Mirin

[Vaindioux]

Hi

 

2 noob questions. What is Mirin exactly? I use Marukan seasoned rice vinegar for my sushi which I like. My wife is trying to make a Ramen dish and the recipe calls for Mirin.

What is the difference between my Marukan vinegar and Mirin?

Second question is about clams. I bought some "White cockle clams" to eat as Nigiri in an Asian grocery store. The box says ready to eat. Are they cooked? (I will eat as is but just wondering if I am eating a raw clam).

 

Thanks a lot

 

Pat

 

[kayb]

It's a rice wine (as opposed to a vinegar) that's slightly sweet. I always add it in any kind of marinated veggie I'm doing that has rice vinegar and sesame oil. Also put it in fried rice, and lots of different vaguely Asian sauces and marinades.

 

[Vaindioux]

Thanks Kayb for the explanation. Wine vs vinegar, got it.

 

Pat

[liuzhou]

Better late than never. 

 

The bottle above is not real mirin. In fact it's difficult to know what it is.

 

  Quote

The term or trade name aji-mirin (literally: taste mirin) can mean various things, such as salt mirin, synthetic mirin, or mirin-like seasonings.

 

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Real mirin is hon mirin and labelled in Japanese as 本みりん, literally 'true mirin'. That first character 本 is the important one. This is the one I use.

 

 

Caveat Emptor