🇯🇵 Japan · Food
Unagi Don
By eatmundo · July 12, 2026
A luxurious bowl of tender, grilled freshwater eel glazed in a rich, savory-sweet tare sauce served over steaming rice. It is the quintessential Japanese summer delicacy known for its stamina-boosting qualities.
Ingredients
check them off as you prepareHow to Make It
- 1
Begin by rinsing 300g of short-grain rice and cooking it in a rice cooker until perfectly fluffy.
- 2
Prepare the sauce by whisking 60ml soy sauce, 60ml mirin, 60ml sake, and 2 tbsp sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- 3
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- 4
Place 2 eel fillets, skin-side down, on a baking sheet lined with foil and brush generously with your prepared sauce.
- 5
Broil the eel under a high heat broiler for 4 to 6 minutes, watching carefully for the glaze to bubble and caramelize.
- 6
Remove from the oven, brush again with a second layer of sauce, and broil for another 60 seconds to achieve a dark, glossy finish.
- 7
Spoon the hot rice into deep bowls, creating a flat, even bed for the eel.
- 8
Carefully slide one whole grilled eel fillet over the rice in each bowl and drizzle any remaining sauce from the pan over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy fresh or pre-cooked eel for Unagi Don?+
It is highly recommended to buy pre-cooked, vacuum-sealed kabayaki eel, as preparing raw eel requires specialized de-boning skills.
How do I avoid burning the sauce while heating the eel?+
The sauce contains sugar, so heat the eel in a pan on medium-low or steam it briefly to prevent the glaze from becoming bitter and burnt.
What is the best way to ensure the eel is tender and moist?+
Lightly steaming the eel for 3-5 minutes before glazing it with the sauce helps restore its moisture and creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Can I substitute mirin if I don't have it?+
You can use a mixture of white grape juice or dry white wine with a pinch of extra sugar, though authentic mirin provides the best glossy finish.
Mundo Match
This dish doesn't have a strong Mundo Match yet — but here's the closest ingredient overlap we found across the world's cuisines.
