Mirin, also known as sweet Japanese rice wine, is a syrupy liquid that is used as a seasoning and glazing agent. It is a type of rice wine similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol and higher sugar content. The alcohol content usually ranges from 1% to around 14%. Therefore, it easily burns off during the cooking process.
Mirin has a sweet flavor, which makes it a nice contrast when used with saltier condiments, like soy sauce or miso. For no HFCS, justonecookbook recommends Eden Foods Mirin, Rice Cooking Wine made of water, rice, koji, and sea salt.
In general, there are 4 types of mirin: hon mirin (“real” mirin, 本みりん), mirin (みりん), mirin-like condiment (みりん風調味料), and mirin-type condiment (みりんタイプ調味料). Hon mirin is usually imported and can be expensive. Mirin-like or mirin-type condiments are cheap and widely available, but they do contain more sugar and some additives.
- Adds a mild sweetness to dishes
- Helps tenderize meat
- Helps to mask dishes with strong fishy and gamey taste
- Helps the flavors to better absorbed into a dish.
- Adds luster and a nice glaze to dishes