Ingredients
- 120 ml Japanese soy sauce
- 60 ml mirin
- 60 ml sake
- 80 ml Quebec maple syrup
- 15 g fresh ginger, grated
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 10 g cornstarch mixed with 20 ml cold water
Method
- Put soy sauce, mirin, sake, maple syrup, ginger and garlic in a small saucepan.
- Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring so the maple syrup integrates without scorching.
- Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy.
- Remove from the heat and stir in sesame oil; brush over grilled fish, chicken or vegetables.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 100 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace the sugar with 80 ml maple syrup and reduce the traditional sake by 20 ml. No oven adjustment applies; brush the glaze near the end of cooking to prevent burning.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple complements soy, ginger and sesame with a rounded caramel note rather than a sharp sweetness. The substitution also highlights a distinctly Quebec ingredient in a classic Japanese-style preparation.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →