Japan – Unagi Grilled Eel Rice Bowl

by Zayna Khan

UNAGI GRILLED EEL RICE BOWL, is the name of this dish and when it comes to the ingredients and main elements with cooking technique we can found it in this name.

So UNAGI means eel. From this word, it is clear that our main ingredient in this dish is eel meat. So as this is Japanese cuisine and dish is from Japan so Japanese eel is used in making in this dish. Freshwater eel from Japan is used in making this amazing dish.

Grilled so this means eel meat is grilled in this dish so now we have main element of the dish, ‘‘Grilled eel meat”

Rice bowl is the 2nd element of this dish with which grilled eel is served.

From the name we have considered the two main elements and the cooking technique of this dish. Which is ”grilled eel meat served with a rice bowl”

ELEMENTS OF THE DISH

1.Grilled eel

This is the main and most delicious element of the dish. Grilled eel meat, which is usually a fresh water eel.

UNAGI is a freshwater eel used in cooking this dish. Another eel which is known as ANAGO is saltwater eel. Unagi is used in this dish not anago. We should not confuse these two different types of meat.

2.Unagi sauce

This grilled meat is served with unagi sauce. Sometimes, this cooked meat is dipped into this sauce and then served over the rice bowl. Otherwise, we can serve it on the side of the bowl or a separate bowl.

3.Rice bowl

As a whole course meal, this meat is served with the bowl of rice. Which is flavored with the unagi sauce and grilled eel.

COOKING TECHNIQUE

Following are the cooking technique used in making this whole dish with different elements :

GRILLING

Grilling is a technique os cooking over the charcoal. We can also say this technique as a Barbecue. So we have to first marinate the meat with relative spices and than heat up the grilling stove where charcoals are heat up. Over the grill, out on te meat and cooked from both sides until the noce color appeared.

SIMMERING

Simmering is a cooking method to cook some liquid mixture on low heat where the whole mixture starts bubbling on low heat. This method is sued in making the Unagi sauce.

STEAMING

Steamed rice is serve with this grilled eel so steaming is used in making rice bowl. Rice is usually spice free, but you can add ingredients for fragnance and some basic flavors.

SERVING

To serve this dish we have 3 elements and combine them in a bowl make it palatable. This dish is actually a rice bowl. So we have a bowl of rice which is placed in the bottom of bowl and than pieces of grilled eel is served on top. Than we have our unagi sauce, which is glazed on the top of meat.

In some regions, this dish is served with cabbage salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

• Calories = 410
• Cholestrol = 140 mg
• Protein = 18 grams
• Sodium = 40 mg
• Fat = 11 grams

GLOBAL SUPPLY OF EEL

There are following countries that supply eel globally :

• China
• Canada
• The united states
• Japan
• Taiwan etc

GRILLED EEL

Ingredients :

• Eel = 2 lbs
• Shoga ( pickled ginger root ) = 2 tablespoons
• Yakinori seaweeds = 1 sheet
• Salt = 1/2 teaspoon
• Soya sauce = 1/2 cup
• Mirin = 2 tablespoons
• Rice vinegar = 4 tablespoons
• Sake = 2 tablespoons

Cooking method

• First of all set the grill pan or pre heat it up to 300 degree and than prepare a marination for eel meat.
• Combine all the ingredients of marination with shoga, soya sauce, mirin, vinegar, sake and salt.
• Now marinate this mixture to eel and let it soaked into it.
• When grill is hot enough, cook the eel in hot charcoal from both sides.
• When The crispy layer appeared over the eel meat and than serve it over the bed of rice.

UNAGI SAUCE

Ingredients

• Mirin = 1/2 cup
• Soya sauce = 1/2 cup
• Sake = 2 tablespoons
• Suagr = 4 tablespoons

Cooking method

• Combine all ingredients together and let it cook for 10 minutes.
• Now see if the consistency of sauce is thickened.
• Turn off the flame and serve it over the eel meat.