📝 About This Recipe
Experience the soul-warming luxury of Unagi no Kabayaki, a cornerstone of Japanese Edo-style cuisine. This dish features succulent freshwater eel, butterflied and grilled to smoky perfection before being basted in a rich, sweet-savory tare sauce that caramelizes into a deep mahogany glaze. Traditionally enjoyed during the heat of summer for its restorative properties, this recipe brings the sophisticated flavors of a Tokyo unagi-ya right into your home kitchen.
🥗 Ingredients
The Eel
- 2 large Freshwater Eel (Unagi) fillets (cleaned and butterflied, approximately 200g each)
- 2 tablespoons Sake (for steaming)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt (fine sea salt)
Homemade Kabayaki Tare (Sauce)
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (high-quality Japanese dark soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup Mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/4 cup Sake (dry Japanese rice wine)
- 3 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- 2-3 pieces Eel Bones (optional, toasted for extra depth)
For Serving
- 3 cups Short-grain Japanese Rice (cooked and hot)
- 1 pinch Sansho Pepper (Japanese citrus pepper for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Pickled Ginger (Gari) (optional side)
- 1 stalk Scallions (finely sliced for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Start by preparing the Kabayaki Tare. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. If you have toasted eel bones, add them now to infuse the sauce.
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2
Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid reduces by about one-third and becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside to cool; it will thicken further as it cools.
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3
Prepare the eel fillets. Rinse them gently under cold water and pat them extremely dry with paper towels. Cut each long fillet in half so they fit comfortably in your pan or on your grill.
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4
Preheat your broiler or an outdoor grill to high heat. Lightly grease the grill grate or a foil-lined baking sheet with a neutral oil.
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5
Place the eel fillets skin-side down on the tray. Broil for about 3-5 minutes until the skin is bubbling and slightly charred. This 'Shirayaki' (white grilling) stage renders the fat.
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6
Remove the eel from the heat. To achieve the classic tender texture, place the fillets in a steamer basket. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sake and steam over boiling water for 10-12 minutes.
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7
Carefully remove the steamed fillets; they will be very fragile. Pat away any excess moisture from the surface.
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8
Begin the glazing process. Brush a generous layer of the prepared tare sauce over both sides of the eel fillets.
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9
Return the eel to the broiler or grill. Grill for 1-2 minutes until the sauce starts to bubble and caramelize.
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10
Remove, brush with a second layer of sauce, and grill for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat this process 3 times in total until the eel has a deep, glossy, lacquered appearance.
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11
Prepare two bowls of hot steamed rice. Drizzle a tablespoon of the remaining tare sauce over the rice in each bowl.
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12
Lay the glazed eel fillets over the rice. Brush one final thin layer of sauce over the top for maximum shine.
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13
Sprinkle with a dusting of Sansho pepper and garnish with sliced scallions if desired. Serve immediately while the eel is piping hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use high-quality Japanese short-grain rice; its stickiness is essential for carrying the sauce. If your eel comes pre-frozen, ensure it is fully thawed and patted dry to avoid a 'fishy' steam flavor. Don't skip the steaming step; it is the secret to the 'Kanto-style' melt-in-your-mouth texture. Be watchful during the final glazing stages, as the sugar in the tare can burn very quickly under a broiler. If you can't find fresh eel, you can buy pre-grilled (Unagi no Kabayaki) and 'refresh' it by steaming and re-glazing with homemade sauce.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a clear Dashi-based soup (Osuimono) to cleanse the palate between rich bites. Serve with a side of Tsukemono (Japanese pickles) like Takuan or pickled cucumber for acidity. A cold glass of dry Sake or a crisp Japanese lager balances the sweet and fatty notes perfectly. For a complete meal, add a side of Chawanmushi (savory egg custard). Offer extra Sansho pepper on the table; its numbing, citrusy quality is the traditional foil to eel's richness.