About Mirin: Mirin is Japanese sweet cooking wine. Steamed mochigome rice, komekoji (rice yeast), and shochu (Japanese liquor) are mixed and and fermented to make mirin. Mirin is clear and light gold in color and is usually sold in a bottle.
History of Mirin: The use of mirin is said to have begun over 400 years ago. Although it was used for drinking in the beginning, it has been used for only cooking since it was made to be thicker and sweeter.
Mirin Varieties: There are two types of mirin: hon mirin and shin mirin. The difference is the amount of alcohol. Hon mirin contains nearly
14% alcohol. Hon mirin was available only at alcohol retailers
until December 1997, but now it's sold at supermarkets too. Shin
mirin has less than 1% alcohol but has the same flavor as hon
mirin, so it's commonly used for cooking.
Miscellaneous: The sweetness of mirin is different from that of sugar. It's a perfect seasoning to add a mild sweetness to Japanese cooking. Mirin adds luster to ingredients when it's cooked and adds nice aroma. It's the key ingredient in teriyaki sauce. Since it is effective in masking the smell of fish, mirin is often used for cooking seafood.
Well-known Japanese brands for mirin are Takara and Mitsukan.
