Concentrated All-Purpose Mentsuyu

Name: Concentrated All-Purpose Mentsuyu
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 350 ml Mirin...A; 200 ml Soy Sauce...A; 100 ml Usukuchi soy sauce...A; 100 ml Sake...A; 100 grams Thickly sliced bonito flakes (you can used dried bonito flakes too, but they more or less lose their flavor); 2 pieces about 8 cm Kombu for dashi stock

cookpad.japan @cookpad_jp

I learned this recipe from my mother.
When my mother makes this, she makes sure to evaporate the alcohol and lets the broth rest before use, but I'm pretty lazy and cut corners (haha).
Commercial mentsuyu is pretty concentrated, but I prefer a lighter version -- that's why I came up with this recipe.

Pay attention to the heat and the time while making this.
It's common sense but, use high quality bonito and kombu for a better flavor.
If you use high quality ingredients and carefully make this, you'll be able to produce a delicious concentrated sauce that'll blow the cheap commercial variety right out of the water! For standard, simple ratios. Recipe by *ai*

cookpad.japan @cookpad_jp

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Ingredients

350 mlMirin...A
200 mlSoy Sauce...A
100 mlUsukuchi soy sauce...A
100 mlSake...A
100 gramsThickly sliced bonito flakes (you can used dried bonito flakes too, but they more or less lose their flavor)
2pieces about 8 cm Kombu for dashi stock

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Steps

1

Add the "A" ingredients and the kombu to a sauce pot and let sit for about half a day. *If you're in a hurry, cut notches into the kombu and let sit for 3 hours.
2

Heat the mixture from Step 1 on medium heat. Before it begins to boil, remove the kombu from the pot. When it boils, add all of the bonito flakes and lower the heat to low.
3

The listed amount of bonito flakes is not a mistake. This is how much you use. If you double the amount used for normal dashi stock, you should have enough.
4

Boil the liquid from Step 2 about 10 minutes and turn off the heat. *If you let the soy sauce bubble and boil on high heat, it becomes bitter, so it's important to lower the heat to low and simmer.
5

Allow to cool, line a strainer with a paper towel and strain. *As seen in the picture, if you use a strainer with small holes like a tea strainer, you don't need a paper towel.
6

When it has cooled, pour into a glass storage jar that was sterilized in boiling water and it's done. Store in the refrigerator. *It's preservative-free, yet lasts for at least 3 months.
7

For somen noodles, cold udon, or soba, use the ratio {Noodle Sauce: Water = 1:2.5~3}. If you substitute one part of the water for the water used when hydrating dried shiitake mushrooms, it's ok.
8

For standard udon and soba noodle broth, use the following ratio {Noodle Sauce: Water = 1:7.5 ~ 9 + salt as needed}. *For one person, 2 pinches of salt in 400 ml of water is good.
9

The {1:9} ratio of sauce in Step 8 should look like this color. *I sometimes use the Kansai-style light soy sauce to make the base.
10

You can dilute it however you want and use it for various noodles...If you can remember your favorite dilution ratio, then you can have the flavor of your favorite restaurant's sauce anytime, right at home.
11

If you find that the flavor of the sauce feels a bit on the weaker side after you've diluted it with water, this is probably due to the fact that the dashi wasn't made probably.
12

Before adding the seasoning, please add [Bonito soup granules] and [flavor enhancing umami seasoning]. The flavor will taste very good.
13

Not only can you use this sauce for udon or yakisoba, you can also use it for Japanese-style pasta etc. Use it as a replacement for noodle sauce in recipes. It definitely tastes better than the cheap sauces sold in the markets.
14

I always make an extra amount to preserve. But in the case of an emergency, when I run out, I always buy the brand of sauce shown in the picture.
15

If you add the water from the beginning while diluting it for somen or udon etc., it will only keep for about 3 days and it will change the flavor of the sauce a bit.
16

For example, if you think "I'm only going to use it for today's somen". It's best to dilute the concentrated sauce with dashi broth.
17

I also uploaded"Straight Noodle Sauce made from Soup Granules." It's easy and quick so I recommend it as well.
18

I also uploaded a standard, salty-sweet dish that goes very well with cold Chinese noodles or somen "Maitake Mushrooms Boiled in Sugar Syrup".
19

There's also a recipe that uses this sauce to make Curry Udon.
20

I also used this sauce in another recipe for Sesame Seed Sauce and uploaded it.. I recommend it with spinach.
21

I uploaded a recipe using this sauce for Seasoned and Mixed Rice.