00:00Hi Mewtwo and today on Stachi I'm going to show you how to make rich and luxurious
00:05iukabayaki that can be used for unagi donburi, unaju.
00:09We're going to start by making the kabayaki sauce, so first grab a pan and add 3 tablespoons
00:14of coarse light brown turbinado sugar and 1 teaspoon of dark brown sugar like muscovado.
00:20Heat on medium-high and mix it around to heat evenly.
00:28When it starts to melt, add 75ml of sake and 75ml of mirin.
00:37Keep stirring to help the sugar dissolve and prevent burning and let the mixture boil for
00:431-2 minutes to burn off some of the alcohol.
00:47Next add 75ml of dark soy sauce and reduce the heat to a simmer.
00:52We're going to leave that to gently bubble for about 10 minutes or until thick and glossy.
00:58Remember to stir it occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.
01:01This is enough for 2 portions so if you half it for 1 portion, keep an eye on it because
01:06it will
01:07thicken faster.
01:08In the meantime, let's prepare our eel.
01:11Cover a large cutting board with plastic wrap and place your eel skin side down.
01:17I also recommend putting a damp tea towel underneath the board to stop it from moving.
01:23We're going to cut it into 3 or 4 so use a sharp knife and rather than moving the knife,
01:28push the eel forwards and backwards while gently pushing the knife down.
01:34Eel is very slippery and can be dangerous to cut so sliding it back and forth on the plastic wrap
01:40is
01:40actually safer because the knife is less likely to slip.
01:45Make sure to get eel that has already been cut, gutted and debonned by a professional.
01:51It will make your life a lot easier.
01:54Some people like to cook and eat the head.
01:57I personally don't but it's totally up to you.
02:01Okay, let's check our sauce.
02:03Although we're using this Kabayaki sauce for Unagi, it also goes great with cheaper fish
02:08like catfish or kongu eel too.
02:11It's been about 10 minutes and it's looking glossy and smelling great so let's take it off the heat
02:17and set it aside for later.
02:19Next, take a large pan and place the eel skin side down on medium low.
02:28Pour in 1 tablespoon of sake for each eel and cover with a lid.
02:33Once the sake starts to bubble on steam, set a timer for 3 minutes.
02:38This is one trick to make your eels extra tender, fluffy and soft but you can skip this step if
02:44you
02:44grill your eel on an outdoor BBQ. While we wait, start preheating your fish grill or broiler or medium
02:51high. I also recommend placing foil under your wire rack for easier clean up later.
02:59After 3 minutes, take your eel off the heat. It doesn't need to be fully cooked here,
03:04just lightly steamed.
03:06Once the grill is preheated, transfer the eel to the wire rack, skin side down and grill for 6 minutes.
03:13By steaming and grilling the eel, the inside is fluffy and soft while the outside gets a bit crispy,
03:18especially the skin.
03:26After 6 minutes, flip it over and repeat on the skin side for 5 minutes.
03:31Real kabayaki is cooked over charcoal grill, so keep an eye on it and aim for a slightly charred surface.
03:38Make sure not to let the skin burn, otherwise it will become dry and bitter.
03:44Once it's nicely crispy, we're going to brush it with the kabayaki sauce we made earlier.
03:49You might have seen the unagi restaurants have big pots of sauce that they dip the skilled eel into,
03:56but this is a home style recipe and making that much sauce isn't very economical.
04:02Once it's fully coated, place it back under the grill for 30 seconds.
04:11Then flip and repeat 3 times on each side.
04:15I know it's a lot of flipping and coating, but this just ensures the sauce doesn't burn.
04:46This looks great, so let's dish up.
04:49First, get your rice.
04:51Today I'm making unaju, which is served in a box called jubako,
04:55rather than in a bowl like donburi.
04:58Brush the surface of the rice with the leftover sauce, then arrange the unagi on top.
05:04These steps will be the same if you want to make the rice ball instead.
05:11For an authentic touch, sprinkle the top with sanshō pepper.
05:16And that's it, how to make luxurious unaju or unagi don at home.
05:22And great news, I've launched a free mobile app that makes following along with my recipes even easier.
05:27It's the perfect kitchen companion after watching my videos.
05:31You can access step-by-step instructions right on your phone while you cook.
05:35The download link is in the description below.
05:39I hope you enjoyed this recipe.
05:41For more details including types of eel and step-by-step instructions, visit my blog.
05:46The link is displayed on screen now.
05:49Thanks for watching and I look forward to seeing you in the next video.
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