Unadon (Japanese Grilled Glazed Eel Rice Bowl)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 35 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Unadon is a classic Japanese rice bowl dish featuring grilled freshwater eel brushed with a caramelized soy glaze.
Read more
The preparation begins by drying the eel fillet and letting it rest at room temperature to ensure even cooking. The eel is first placed skin-side down in the pan to render its natural fat and create a tender texture. A rich tare sauce made by simmering soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar is repeatedly brushed onto the fish during the final stages of cooking. This process coats the eel in a glossy, sweet, and savory glaze. The cooked eel is served over a bowl of warm steamed rice drizzled with a spoonful of the sauce. Finely chopped chives and a dusting of ground sansho pepper are added at the end, providing a tingly citrus aroma that balances the richness of the fish.
Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Pat the 320 g eel fillet dry with paper towels, pressing gently so the surface is not wet.
Cut it into serving-size lengths and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes so it cooks more evenly.
- 2Control
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan and set it over medium-low heat.
Stir for about 5 minutes, just until the sugar dissolves and the sauce lightly thickens. Stop before it becomes too salty.
- 3Control
Preheat a pan over medium heat and spread the 8 ml neutral oil into a thin film.
Place the eel skin-side down and cook it for 3 minutes without moving it, so the skin sets and browns without tearing.
- 4Season
Turn the eel carefully and cook the flesh side for 2 more minutes.
When the edges look cooked and the flesh bends softly, brush on a thin layer of the prepared sauce instead of pouring on too much at once.
- 5Control
Brush on another light layer of sauce and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes until the surface turns glossy.
If the sauce bubbles thickly or darkens too fast, lower the heat right away to prevent scorching.
- 6Finish
Divide the 360 g warm steamed rice between bowls and spoon a little sauce over the top.
Place the glazed eel on the rice, then finish with the 8 g chopped chives and 1 g sansho pepper. Serve while hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Unadon highlights charcoal-grilled freshwater eel finished with a sweet, caramelized soy glaze.
- Finish cue
- Brush on another light layer of sauce and cook over low heat for about 2 minutes until the surface turns glossy.
- Avoid this
- Do not over-reduce the sauce or it will become too salty.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
35min, 9 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 309 recipes
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Korean Grilled Eel Rice Bowl
steamed rice, mirin
Botan Nabe Wild Boar Hotpot
mirin, sake
Kiritanpo Nabe (Akita-Style Grilled Rice Stick Hot Pot)
steamed rice, mirin