Homemade Teriyaki Sauce and Teriyaki Chicken

Authentic Japanese Teriyaki sauce is the combination of soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake to create a distinctively sharp taste. This sauce is used in many Asian dishes. With my version of this sauce, I like to use honey instead of sugar and also use sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger for an added edge. Cornstarch is often added to Teriyaki sauce as a thickener. Having this sauce already made will save time to prepare some authentic Teriyaki chicken or baked fish easier. The sauce will keep quite a long time in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup soy sauce

1 tbs salt

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup vinegar

1/4 cup sake

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 tsp mushroom seasoning (optional)

Thickening ingredients:

1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/3 cup water

Directions:

Combine water, soy sauce, salt, honey, vinegar, sake, minced garlic and minced ginger into a saucepan. Bring to boil.

Mix water and cornstarch well and add to the sauce. Let sauce cook for 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to your family liking

Turn the heat off and then add sesame seeds.

Let it cool and pour into a glass jar with lid.

Store in the refrigerator.

Teriyaki chicken recipe:

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Marinade ingredients:

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tbs oil

Vegetables:

2 cups mixed vegetables (your choice), such as broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots, water chestnut and cauliflower

3 green onions, sliced

1/2 white onion, sliced

1 cup already made teriyaki sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs oil for stir-frying

Serve with cooked rice, noodles

Directions:

In the bowl, combine the marinade ingredients.  Add chicken and mix well. Let refrigerate for 1 hour.

Blanch the vegetables in boiling water for 1 minute and drain.

In a wok, add oil until hot. Add chicken and cook until all the chicken no longer pink.

Add vegetables and white onions and cook for 1 minute. Add sauce and bring to boil. 

Cook until the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat. Stir in green onion. 

Serve over rice.