Mentsuyu (めんつゆ), or sometimes called Tsuyu (つゆ) is a Japanese soup base made from sake, mirin, soy sauce, kombu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). It is commonly used for hot pot, soba and noodle dishes. The flavour is delicate but robust.
WHAT IS MENTSUYU USED FOR?
With its lightly smoky and full of umami flavour, this basic sauce can be used to flavour the broth of hot pot, noodle, tempura dipping sauce and rice bowls. This multi purpose sauce gets it smokiness from dried bonito flakes and the umami from kombu. These two ingredients are also the building blocks of dashi, a Japanese soup stock that is used in many dishes. Soy sauce lends its saltiness to this and mirin imparts sweetness that ties it all together.
HOW TO MAKE MENTSUYU?
It’s as easy as combining all ingredients in a pot and leaving it to low simmer for 5 minutes. It will be a concentrated sauce full with flavour. Drain and discard the bonito flakes and pour mentsuyu in a clean jar. Store it in the fridge for up to a month. When ready to use, it can then be thinned down according to recipes with just water.
I will be using this as a cold dipping sauce for soba. The ratio of it will be 1:3. 1 part mentsuyu and 3 parts water.
There are also ready made Mentsuyu, readily available in supermarkets in the Japanese aisle. It’s oftenly known as Kombu Tsuyu here and it is also a concentrate.
Mentsuyu (Noodle soup base)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp)
- 1 cup katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
- Strain sauce over a sieve and discard the bonito flakes. Let it cool.
- Pour into a glass jar and keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.
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