Step 1

Heat a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat.

Step 2

Add in the sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.

Step 3

Leave to simmer over medium high heat until it starts to boil.

Step 4

Add in the garlic and ginger, if using. Keep mixing until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Step 5

Leave to boil over medium high heat until the sauce starts to thicken a little. Note that the sauce will not thicken like a glaze but will slightly thicken from the sugars. If using as a marinade or sauce to cook other dishes, you can opt not to thicken it like a glaze.

Step 6

If you’d like to thicken this sauce into a glaze, prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and water together.

Step 7

While mixing, pour in the slurry into the teriyaki sauce and leave to boil until it thickens.

Step 8

Mix well and then when it boils, lower the heat. Continue stirring to ensure the starch doesn't stick at the bottom of the pan.

Step 9

Once it thickens, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Turn off the heat. It’ll continue to thicken as it cools.

Step 10

Transfer the sauce/glaze into a jar and leave it to cool completely before storing. See storage tips below.

Step 11

Enjoy your teriyaki sauce/glaze by cooking it with your favourite protein, as a sauce for noodles, fried rice, or as a delicious marinade—it’s totally up to you! Teriyaki sauce is really so versatile.

Step 12

Heat a medium-sized sauce pan over medium heat. Add in soy sauce, water, and sugar. Start with 1/4 cup soy sauce and adjust as you go along (see notes). Leave to simmer over medium high heat until it starts to boil. Add in the garlic and ginger, if using. Keep mixing until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 13

Taste the sauce and add more of the soy sauce, if needed. You can also add more sugar and adjust depending on your desired sweetness.

Step 14

if you’d like to use this sauce as a glaze, prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and water. While mixing, pour in the slurry into the teriyaki sauce and mix until it thickens. Once it thickens, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Turn off the heat. It’ll continue to thicken as it cools.

Step 15

Enjoy your teriyaki sauce/glaze sauce by cooking it with your favourite protein, as a sauce for noodles, fried rice, or as a delicious marinade—it’s totally up to you! Teriyaki sauce is really so versatile.

Step 16

Transfer the teriyaki sauce in a jar. Leave the sauce/glaze to cool completely before covering. Refrigerate until ready to use. It can be stored for up to 1 month (or even longer!)

Step 17

You can also refrigerate the teriyaki glaze the same way but note that the cornstarch can clump together so you’ll need to shake or mix the sauce well before using. You can also heat it to completely dissolve the clumps.