Name: Classic Ginger Sake Soy Marinade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 150ml
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 15 g fresh ginger; 1 garlic; 60 ml soy sauce; 45 ml sake; 30 ml mirin

Equipment

Fine grater

or Microplane

Mixing bowl

Whisk

or Fork

Ingredients

10 servings

Aromatics

15 g fresh ginger, peeled
1 garlic, minced

Liquids

60 ml soy sauce
45 ml sake
30 ml mirin

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories

Protein

Carbs

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

339mg

Sodium

Method

Grate the peeled fresh ginger using a fine grater over a cutting board or small plate, ensuring you collect both the fibrous pulp and all the extracted juice.

Transfer the grated ginger and its juices into a mixing bowl, then pour in the soy sauce, sake, and mirin.

Whisk the mixture vigorously until all liquids are fully combined and any optional additions are evenly distributed.

Chef's Notes

Using a traditional Japanese ceramic grater (oroshigane) is ideal for ginger, as it efficiently separates the tough fibers from the flavorful juice.
The enzymes in raw ginger act as a natural meat tenderizer. This makes the marinade excellent for tougher cuts of beef or pork.
Do not substitute dry sherry or white wine for sake if you want an authentic flavor profile. The mild, slightly sweet amino acids in rice-based sake are critical to the synergy with soy sauce.