Cinnamon Free Gluten Free Eel Sauce
Rich, glossy, and deeply savory, this umami-packed sauce is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more exciting. It comes together with just four pantry staples — tamari, mirin, sake, and sugar — simmered down into a silky, caramel-edged glaze that clings beautifully to whatever you drizzle it over. Tamari stands in for conventional soy sauce here, which also makes this naturally gluten free without any awkward substitutions or specialty flour blends. The reduction process is where the magic happens: as the liquid cooks down, the sugars concentrate and the sauce develops a deep, lacquered finish that looks and tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests. Keep a close eye on it toward the end of simmering, because the sugar can go from perfectly glossy to scorched in a hurry. Once it cools, it thickens even further, so don't panic if it looks a little thin right off the heat. Spoon it over rice bowls, grilled fish, roasted vegetables, or anything else that could use a hit of sweet-savory depth.
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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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