Sake
Japanese rice wine, used in cooking to tenderize and add subtle sweetness and umami. Different from mirin, which is sweeter and syrupy. A splash deglazes a pan or rounds out a marinade.
Used for
- marinades
- teriyaki
- glazes
- stir-fries
In the kitchen
- Deglaze.
- Whisk into marinade.
- Simmer to cook off alcohol.
Picking it at the store
- Any inexpensive cooking sake from the Asian grocery aisle works fine. No need for drinking-quality sake.
- Not interchangeable with mirin: sake is dry, mirin is sweet. Check which the recipe means.
Related terms
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