Mirin ( 味 醂 , or み り ん ) is a very sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking . Adds a sweet taste to sauces , marinades and stews. In the past ( XV - XVI century ), Mirin was popular as an alcoholic drink for women, a sweet analogue of sake . Mirin contains up to 50% sugar, and its strength, as a rule, is 14 degrees.
Since the 19th century it has been used mainly as a seasoning. It is made from alcohol , rice and koji (sourdough). Along with soy sauce and dashi is one of the main spices of ancient Japanese cuisine.
There are three types of mirin. “Khon mirin” (true mirin) is a classic version of mirin, “sio mirin” (mirin with salt) contains alcohol only to the extent that the tax on alcohol is avoided, and “syn mirin” (new mirin) is mirin seasoning , which contains less than 1 percent alcohol, but retains the taste of classical mirin.
See also
- Sake
- Soy sauce