Unagi Don

Unagi (eel) is one of the most popular and also luxurious fish in Japan.  Good unagi is expensive and considered as delicacy.  Yet, instead of eating just a slice or two on a tiny piece of sushi rice, we tend to eat almost half a fillet on a bed of rice in Donburi (big rice bowl!)  While people in Japan can make most seafood at home, we almost always buy cooked unagi at stores or restaurants.  It is very rare to see fresh eels at regular stores.  It requires special skills to fillet, debone, skewer, and grill to perfection.

It is necessary the to find good unagi that is cooked as you like.  Or you can simply purchase a filet and cook it in a fry pan.

Yield: 2

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients

• 1 fillet of unagi (vacuum-sealed)
• 1 tbsp sake
• Steamed Rice
Sauce
• 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce
• 1/3 cup (80ml) mirin
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sake
• Sansyo (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat fry pan on medium heat with a tablespoon of sesame oil.  Cut unagi fillet into 4 pieces, brush with sesame oil and soy sauce  and place them on the fry pan.  Cook until done (approx 1 minute each side)
2. In a small sauce pan, mix all the ingredients of the sauce and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
3. Place steamed rice in an individual bowl, sprinkle about a tbsp of sauce over the rice, and top with cooked unagi on top. Pour some sauce on top of the fish. Sprinkle on Sansyo Japanese pepper on top (optional.) Serve immediately.