Unagi Donburi with Handmade Kabayaki Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 fillets (about 8 oz each) Fresh eel fillets (or thawed frozen unagi)
• 1.5 cups Japanese short-grain rice
• 1/2 cup Soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Mirin
• 1/4 cup Sake
• 3 tablespoons Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Sugar (for sushi rice)
• 1 teaspoon Sansho pepper(optional)
• 1 sheet Nori, cut into thin strips(optional)
• 2 stalks Green onions, thinly sliced(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then cook it with 1.8 cups water (30 minutes including soaking and cooking). Meanwhile, butterfly each eel fillet open and remove any pin bones, patting the flesh dry.

2. 2

   Make the kabayaki sauce: combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced and syrupy. Set aside.

3. 3

   Season the cooked rice: dissolve 1 tablespoon sugar and the rice vinegar with a pinch of salt, fold gently into the hot rice, and keep covered.

4. 4

   Preheat the broiler or grill to high. Place the eel fillets skin-side down on a foil-lined broiler pan and cook 5-6 minutes until the skin is crisp.

5. 5

   Flip the fillets flesh-side up, brush generously with kabayaki sauce, and broil 2 minutes. Repeat the brushing and broiling 3-4 more times (about 10-12 minutes total) until the eel is lacquered, glossy, and lightly charred at the edges.

6. 6

   Rest the eel 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Serve over bowls of seasoned rice, drizzling extra warm kabayaki sauce on top. Garnish with sansho pepper, nori strips, and green onions.