Yakiniku Sauce for Grilled Meat

1. Peel and chop 1 garlic clove.
2. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Heat over medium to high heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Stir constantly to help dissolve sugar and to prevent burning. Allow the sauce to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Using a strainer, pour the sauce into a small bowl to separate the garlic pieces which may be discarded.
4. Add ground roasted white sesame seeds and whole roasted sesame seeds to the strained sauce in the bowl. Mix gently. The yakiniku sauce is now ready to use! Use to dip meats and vegetables, or as a sauce to pour over meat.

1. The sauce may be stored in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days. 

Additional Information

Typical ingredients for making yakiniku sauce includes soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sesame seeds. The addition of sesame oil and garlic add more complexity and boldness to the sauce. The key to yakiniku sauce, however, is sesame seeds, and in this recipe, the addition of roasted ground sesame seeds takes the sauce to an entirely new level of "wow." The ground roasted sesame seeds impart a complexity of flavors that make the sauce mouth-watering delicious!

The sauce can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a quick weeknight meal. My favorite way of using this yakiniku sauce is to stir-fry thin shabu - shabu or sukiyaki cuts of beef in a frying or griddle pan until well done, then pour some of the sauce over the cooked meat, toss and then serve.

Note: the sauce has a concentrated flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. If you're going to use it as a dipping sauce for yakiniku, for younger children or for those that prefer a milder flavor, simply add a bit of hot water to the sauce to dilute it.