Teriyaki Sauce

makes about ¹/₄ cup

NOTE: This sweet and salty Japanese sauce can be used with fish, meat, or poultry. Because the soy sauce provides salt, do not salt the protein beforehand. This recipe yields enough sauce for 4 to 6 portions of protein.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Combine ingredients in small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Raise heat to high and simmer until mixture is thick and syrupy and has reduced by two-thirds, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for 1 month.)

2. To use, brush directly on grilled or broiled food during last minute of cooking. Brush again prior to serving.

VARIATION:

Teriyaki Pan Sauce

The pan sauce is prepared while the fish, meat, or poultry is still in the pan.

Combine all ingredients for Teriyaki Sauce in small bowl. When protein is browned on both sides but underdone by about 3 minutes, pour off any excess oil and add teriyaki liquid and undissolved sugar. Cook over medium-high heat for 1¹/₂ minutes. Turn protein and cook until liquid is thick and syrupy and just a few tablespoons remain, about 1 minute. Transfer cooked protein to platter and drizzle with pan sauce. Serve immediately.

DIPPING SAUCES

Dipping sauces are fairly easy to construct. Since they are used on the table and most of the sauce will fall back into the bowl, they must be potent. A little sauce has to go a long way. The other main consideration is consistency. Thicker sauces adhere best to skewers of beef or chicken. Since more sauce ends up in our mouth, these sauces tend toward the sweet. A thinner sauce is fine for dumplings or spring rolls, which will absorb some of the sauce. Highly acidic or salty sauces are generally thin so that they don't overwhelm foods.