Teriyaki is a Japanese method of cooking. In this method, meat, fish, vegetables are either broiled or grilled in a sweet and pungent soy sauce mixture. It is a native technique of the country, although these days, this style of cooking has migrated to the west giving birth to many hybrid Teriyaki recipes.
Teriyaki is also a Japanese sauce. The cooking method uses broiling and grilling. Teriyaki in Japan includes ingredients like squid and kanji. In western countries also, teriyaki is a very popular dish and served with fish. The Soya sauce used in teriyaki is usually sweet. Honey, mirin and sugar are added with Soya sauce to give a sweet taste. It is usually served cold. Teriyaki burger, teriyaki chicken and teriyaki grilled salmon are few good teriyaki recipes.
The Origin of Teriyaki Recipes
This style of cooking is said to have developed during the 1600s in Japan when the Shoguns of the Tokugawa family began rule. This era is also known as the Edo period. The Japanese word 'teriyaki' can be divided into 'teri' and 'yaki'. 'Teri' refers to the shiny glaze given to the food by the sugar in sauce(tare) and 'yaki' refers to the method of cooking; grilling or broiling.
The Process of Teriyaki Recipes
Essentially, this method of cooking involves either grilling or broiling. The modern variations include pan frying and baking too. Before and while cooking, the meat or vegetables are brushed with the sauce(tare). The sauce is prepared by mixing and boiling sake(rice wine) or mirin(Japanese sweet cooking wine), soy sauce and sugar or sometimes honey, in the right proportions. The thickness of the 'tare' can be regulated by controlling the water content. Sometimes Ginger is added for flavor in the traditional preparation. However these days, garlic and sesame are also added to the sauce for creating newer Teriyaki recipes. It is also a noted fact that some Teriyaki sauces are the raunchier version of the Bulogi sauce (a Korean sauce) that has hot peppers in them.
Popular Teriyaki Recipes
Japanese restaurants began to flourish in the USA during the 60's. With that Japanese food outburst, the Teriyaki chicken, beef, pork and fish became very popular. In the following 50 years, this cooking method and many Teriyaki recipes spread around the world. Today, one can find Teriyaki sauce being sold in bottles in almost every supermarket around the world.
Disadvantages of Teriyaki
Though the Teriyaki style of cooking is suitable for most people, a weight-watcher or a diabetic person must be careful while eating or selecting the right recipe out of the many Teriyaki recipes, because a lot of the commercially available Teriyaki sauces contain high-fructose corn syrup.
Tips for Cooking Teriyaki Recipes
To enable the Teriyaki meat to tenderize and soak up the flavor, it is better to marinate the meat in the sauce and refrigerating it over night. The sauce is easy to make, it can be made at home. To get the authentic taste of the sauce, it is advisable to use only the traditional ingredients.
• Fast food giants like Mos Burger, McDonalds and Burger King have utilized different aspects of the sauce and have come up with their own versions of Teriyaki Burgers. • In Hawaii, a similar burger is available under the name Teri-burger. • Teriyaki sauce ready-to-serve - 256 Calories per cup (288 g) • Rice bowl with chicken, frozen entree, prepared (includes fried, Teriyaki, and sweet and sour varieties) - 428 Calories per bowl (340 g)