Teriyaki is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled with a glaze of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Fish - yellowtail, marlin, skipjack tuna, salmon, trout, and mackerel - is mainly used in Japan, while white and red meat - chicken, pork, lamb, and beef - is more often used in the West. Other ingredients sometimes used in Japan include squid, hamburger steak, and meatballs. The word teriyaki derives from the noun teri, which refers to a shine or luster given by the sugar content in the tare, and yaki, which refers to the cooking method of grilling or broiling. Traditionally the meat is dipped in or brushed with sauce several times during cooking. The tare is traditionally made by mixing and heating soy sauce and sake and sugar .
Teriyaki sauce
In North America, any dish made with a teriyaki-like sauce is described using the word teriyaki. This often even includes those using foreign alternatives to sake or mirin, such as wine, or with added ingredients, such as sesame or garlic. The sauce used for teriyaki is generally sweet, although it can also be spicy. Pineapple juice is sometimes used, as it not only provides sweetness but also bromelain enzymes that help tenderize the meat. Grilling meat first and pouring the sauce on afterwards or using sweet sauce as a marinade are other non-traditional methods of cooking teriyaki. Teriyaki sauce is sometimes put onchicken wings or used as a dipping sauce.
Variations
A teriyaki burger is a variety of hamburger either topped with teriyaki sauce or with the sauce worked into the ground meatpatty. Teriyaki stir-fry refers to stir frying meat or vegetables in teriyaki sauce. Another variety is teriyaki-style prepared vegetarian products.
In the city ofSeattle, Washington, a large teriyaki culture emerged in the 1990s., there were over 83 restaurants in the city with "teriyaki" in their name. It has been described as the city's signature cuisine by some outlets, noting its widespread adoption as a form of fast food.
