PANTRYFLEX

stove · pan sauce

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERPrep 10 minCook 15 min

Mentsuyu

Independent adaptation of a publicly published Hajime Sato recipe. Not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hajime Sato.

Hajime Sato's Mentsuyu, from the published recipe.

Ratio

Ratio by volume: Soy Sauce 120 ml, Mirin 120 ml, Sake 60 ml
Soy Sauce 120 mlMirin 120 mlSake 60 ml

Ingredients

  • Soy Sauce — 1/2 cup (120 ml)
  • Mirin — 1/2 cup (120 ml)
  • Sake — 1/4 cup (60 ml)
  • Sugar — 2 Tbsp (24 g)
  • Kombu — 1 piece optional (5 g)
  • Bonito — 1/2 cup flakes optional (5 g)

Method

  1. This sauce is cooked on the stove — the jar is for storing it, not making it.
  2. Cook ingredients gently according to the published technique, adapted here as pantry quantities only.
  3. Finish off heat; adjust seasoning.

Companion jar

Mentsuyu wants a whisk and a stove — make it from this page.

The jar carries pour-and-shake sauces. These are its closest cousins from kitchens like this one:

4 kitchens · 3 stars · 5 national awards

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Provenance

Japanese chef awarded James Beard Best Chef: Great Lakes 2024. Associated with Chicago Japanese fine dining.

Adapted from a recipe published by Hajime Sato in Hajime Sato Japanese noodle sauce base.

More from this kitchen

FAQ

Can this go in a shake jar?

No — this one needs a blender or stove, so make it from this page. Jars only carry pour-and-shake sauces — its companion jar is below.

What do the quantities mean?

Amounts follow the published recipe in household units (with metric in parentheses). On a jar, every sauce scales to the same fill height.

Where did this recipe come from?

Adapted from Hajime Sato Japanese noodle sauce base (published as “Mentsuyu”). Full citation lives in Provenance.

Companion jar