Barley Free Gluten Free Eel Sauce
That deep, glossy drizzle you get at a sushi restaurant is surprisingly simple to recreate at home, and this version keeps things clean with just four pantry ingredients. Tamari stands in for conventional soy sauce here, which is the key move — standard soy sauce often contains wheat, making it off-limits for anyone avoiding gluten and barley-derived grains, but tamari is brewed without it. Combined with mirin, sake, and a little sugar, the sauce simmers down into something rich, sweet, and just slightly caramelized. The reduction process is where the magic happens: as the liquid cooks off, the sugars concentrate and the sauce takes on that signature lacquered finish that clings beautifully to grilled fish, rice bowls, or roasted vegetables. A word of caution — keep a close eye on it in those final minutes, because the sugar can go from perfect to scorched fast. Once it cools, it thickens even further into a pourable, restaurant-quality condiment you can stash in the fridge and reach for all week.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup tamari
- ½ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Combine the tamari, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 1–2 minutes.
- 2
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by about one-third and coats the back of a spoon with a thin, glossy layer, 10–12 minutes. Watch closely toward the end — the sugar can scorch quickly.
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