📝 About This Recipe
Unadon is a quintessential Japanese comfort dish featuring succulent fillets of grilled unagi (freshwater eel) glazed with a rich, sweet-savory tare sauce and served over a bed of steaming hot rice. Originating in the Edo period, this dish is celebrated for its 'umami' depth and its reputation as a stamina-boosting meal during the hot summer months. The contrast between the charred, caramelized exterior of the eel and the fluffy, vinegared rice creates a luxurious dining experience that is both simple and deeply satisfying.
🥗 Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 fillets Prepared Unagi (Freshwater Eel) (vacuum-packed, pre-grilled, approximately 10-12 inches long)
- 2 cups Japanese Short-Grain Rice (measured dry, then cooked according to package instructions)
- 2 tablespoons Sake (for steaming the eel to make it tender)
Homemade Unagi Tare (Sauce)
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (use high-quality Japanese soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup Mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar (adjust slightly for desired sweetness)
- 1/4 cup Sake (adds depth and removes fishy odors)
Garnish and Aromatics
- 1/2 teaspoon Sansho Pepper (Japanese green citrus pepper, essential for authenticity)
- 2 stalks Scallions (finely sliced into rounds)
- 1 tablespoon Pickled Ginger (Beni Shoga) (optional, for palate cleansing)
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds (for a nutty crunch)
- 1 sheet Nori (Seaweed) (shredded into fine strips (kizami nori))
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Rinse the Japanese short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook the rice using a rice cooker or stovetop method, ensuring it is fluffy and slightly firm.
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2
While the rice is cooking, prepare the tare sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin, 1/4 cup sake, and 1/4 cup sugar.
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3
Bring the sauce mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to ensure the sugar dissolves completely.
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4
Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly and reduced by about one-third. It should be glossy and coat the back of a spoon.
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5
Remove the pre-grilled unagi fillets from their packaging. Rinse them gently under cold water to remove the excess factory glaze, then pat them completely dry with paper towels.
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6
Cut the unagi fillets in half crosswise so they fit comfortably in your serving bowls or on your baking sheet.
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7
Place the eel on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking tray. Brush the 2 tablespoons of sake over the skin and flesh; this helps rehydrate the eel and makes it tender.
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8
Broil the eel in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the fat begins to sizzle and the surface is hot. Watch closely to prevent burning.
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9
Remove the tray from the oven and brush a generous layer of your homemade tare sauce over the eel fillets.
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10
Return the eel to the broiler for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce bubbles and starts to caramelize into a beautiful dark glaze.
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11
To assemble, fill two deep donburi bowls with the hot cooked rice. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the tare sauce directly over the rice.
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12
Carefully place two pieces of the glazed eel on top of the rice in each bowl.
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13
Brush one final thin layer of tare over the top of the eel for a professional, mirror-like finish.
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14
Sprinkle with a pinch of sansho pepper, which provides a unique numbing citrus tingle that cuts through the richness of the eel.
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15
Garnish with shredded nori, sliced scallions, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while steaming hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always rinse the factory glaze off store-bought unagi; your homemade sauce is much fresher and less 'metallic' in flavor. Don't skip the Sansho pepper; its citrusy notes are specifically designed to balance the oily richness of the eel. If you don't have a broiler, you can heat the eel in a non-stick frying pan with a lid, adding the sake to steam it for 2 minutes before glazing. For the best rice texture, let the cooked rice 'steam' in the pot with the lid on for 10 minutes after the heat is turned off before serving. Store any leftover tare sauce in a glass jar in the fridge; it lasts for weeks and is great on grilled chicken (Yakitori).
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a light Miso Soup (preferably with clams or tofu) to balance the meal. A side of Tsukemono (Japanese pickled vegetables) provides a refreshing, crunchy contrast to the soft eel. Pair with a cold, dry Sake or a glass of chilled Oolong tea to cleanse the palate. Add a side of Goma-ae (spinach with sesame dressing) for a healthy, earthy accompaniment. A small dish of Chawanmushi (savory egg custard) makes this a complete, high-end Japanese dinner set.