Unagi Donburi

Name: Unagi Donburi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 12 oz eel filets (unagi, fresh or frozen), thawed if frozen; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3 tbsp mirin; 2 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp sake (or dry sherry); 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 cups cooked short-grain rice; 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted; 1/2 sheet nori (seaweed sheet), shredded

Glazed grilled eel served over fluffy white rice with a savory-sweet teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds.

22 minMediumServes 2680 cal/serving

JapaneseDinnerGrillStandard

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Ingredients

12 oz eel filets (unagi, fresh or frozen), thawed if frozen
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp sake (or dry sherry)
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups cooked short-grain rice
2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 sheet nori (seaweed sheet), shredded

Instructions

1

In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 tbsp mirin, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp sake (or dry sherry), 2 tsp minced fresh ginger, and 2 cloves minced garlic.
2

Simmer the glaze over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
3

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
4

Place 12 oz thawed if frozen eel filets (unagi, fresh or frozen) skin-side down and grill for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crispy.
5

Flip and brush generously with the glaze. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
6

Brush with glaze again and flip back to skin side, cooking for 1 more minute.
7

Divide 2 cups cooked short-grain rice between bowls. Top with the eel.
8

Drizzle remaining glaze over the top. Garnish with 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 1/2 sheet shredded nori (seaweed sheet).

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Questions

What is Unagi Donburi?

Glazed grilled eel served over fluffy white rice with a savory-sweet teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds. This reference files it under Japanese dinner: cooked on the grill, rated medium and about 22 minutes start to finish.

What should Unagi Donburi look like when it is ready?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 4: cook until the skin is crispy.

What can I use instead of sake in Unagi Donburi?

The entry for Unagi Donburi calls for 2 tbsp sake (or dry sherry). In its place: Dry sherry or a dry white wine does the same job. For no alcohol, use water or light stock with a few drops of rice vinegar.

Can I make Unagi Donburi gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in Unagi Donburi is 1/4 cup soy sauce. Swap the soy-based sauce for tamari or coconut aminos. Everything else proceeds as written.

Does Unagi Donburi contain sesame?

Yes: 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, soy and sesame. Seeds used as a garnish can simply be left off; the oil has no true substitute. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

How many calories are in Unagi Donburi?

One serving (the recipe makes 2) is about 680 calories, with 32 g protein, 62 g carbohydrate and 28 g fat, plus 1 g fiber and 1400 mg sodium.

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