What is Eel Sauce?
Eel sauce is a dark brown, syrupy sauce used to flavor eel. It does not necessarily contain any eel. The main ingredients are soy sauce, sugar and vinegar, which gives the sauce a tangy, sour and sweet flavor. The texture is like honey and can be brushed into the eel.
What does Eel Sauce Taste Like?
...Sweet is one of the five main tastes. It has smooth and round notes in its flavor profile. Sweet is a naturally occurring flavor in many foods, including fruits, berries, winter squashes, sugarcane, and honey. The sweet taste in these foods is due to a higher sugar content. Sweetness is characteristic of desserts and is used as an accent in savory foods.
...Umami is one of five main tastes. It is savory with a depth of flavor. Umami is a taste in many foods, including meat, seafood, beans, and nuts. It is both naturally occurring and created through the specific use of ingredients to create a satisfying taste. Umami is characteristic of proteins and savory dishes.
Ingredients
...Soy sauce is a liquid condiment and seasoning made from fermented soybeans. Traditionally it was been made with just soy, many versions and brands use wheat as well. Soy sauce is dark brown with a thin viscosity. The flavor is intensely salty and umami. Soy sauce is used to season meats, seafood and vegetables, it is also used in sauces to perk up the flavor of the food and enhance other tastes.
...Mirin is a condiment used in East Asian cuisine and is a type of rice wine with a higher sugar content and lower alcohol content. It is clear with a yellowy hue and a thin viscosity. This sweet rice wine is used as a seasoning in grains, meats and vegetables. The flavor is sweet and a little bit vinegary, with a hint of alcohol.
...Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.