Syrups, glazes & reductions

Kaeshi

かえし · Kaeshi is a concentrated Japanese seasoning base made by heating soy sauce with mirin and sugar (and sometimes sake) to produce a salty-sweet, umami-rich liquid. It is a reusable building block — not a finished dish — that is diluted with dashi or water to make dipping sauces, noodle broths, and simmered liquids. The word abbreviates 'ni-kaeshi' (二度返し), meaning 'second simmer,' referring to the traditional practice of passing the cooked liquid through more than once.

Kaeshi
Family · Syrups, glazes & reductionsDifficulty · EasyMake-ahead · YesYield · 1 cup soy sauce + 2.5 Tbsp mirin + 2.5 Tbsp sugar yields about 1 1/4 cups kaeshi (Saveur). 300 ml soy + 90 ml mirin + 6 Tbsp sugar yields about 300 ml (The Wasabi Company).

The formula

~5:1:1 soy:mirin:sugar (hon-kaeshi adds sake; Saveur-style runs ~6:1:1, Kansai nama-kaeshi closer to 3:1:1)

Sources disagree on intensity. Saveur (1 cup soy / 2.5 Tbsp mirin / 2.5 Tbsp sugar) is soy-heavy; The Wasabi Company (300 ml soy / 90 ml mirin / 6 Tbsp sugar) is gentler. Sake is optional and traditional in hon-kaeshi.

Identity

  • A reusable base preparation, not a finished dish — always extended with dashi or water before service
  • Salty-sweet umami concentrate, broadly 3:1:1 to 6:1:1 soy to mirin to sugar
  • Forms the seasoning backbone of mentsuyu, tentsuyu, and many nimono and hot-pot liquids
  • The name abbreviates 'ni-kaeshi' (二度返し), 'second simmer'
  • Stored refrigerated as a concentrate and portioned as needed, typically for up to three months

Ingredients

Basesoy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)Provides salt, umami, and color; tamari is a direct gluten-free substitute.
Sweetenermirin (hon mirin preferred)Adds sweetness, glossy mouthfeel, and mellows the soy. May be replaced with sake + extra sugar.
SweetenersugarGranulated white sugar is standard; Okinawan kokuto or coconut sugar also used for a rounder note.
Liquidsake (cooking sake)Optional but classic in hon-kaeshi; rounds sharpness and extends shelf life.

Method

  1. 1If using mirin (and/or sake), heat it alone briefly until the alcohol evaporates.Cooking off the raw alcohol gives a cleaner, rounder sweetness and prevents a harsh boozy edge in the finished sauce.
  2. 2Add the soy sauce and sugar to the pan.Sugar dissolves readily once the alcohol is gone; soy is added only after the sweetener base is prepared so it is not over-reduced.
  3. 3Stir over medium heat until the sugar fully dissolves, about 2–3 minutes.Gentle heating prevents scorching the sugar and keeps the soy color and flavor bright.
  4. 4Bring briefly to a boil, then remove from the heat.A short boil ensures a homogeneous sauce and helps it keep in the refrigerator for months.
  5. 5Cool completely, then transfer to a clean airtight container and refrigerate.Cooling before sealing prevents condensation that would dilute the concentrate and shorten its life.

Techniques that matter

Mirin nioi-iri (alcohol evaporation)

Removes the raw alcohol bite and concentrates mirin's residual sweetness before the soy is added.

No-reduction simmer

Kaeshi is a concentrate, not a glaze; prolonged reduction darkens the color and over-concentrates the salt.

Variations & derivatives

Hon-kaeshi (本返し)Edo / traditional

Authentic style using both mirin and sake alongside soy and sugar; rounded, deep flavor.

Nama-kaeshi (生返し)Kansai / western Japan

Uses mirin and soy without sake; lighter and slightly sweeter profile.

Hannama-kaeshi (半生返し)Hybrid

Half sake, half mirin; sits between hon-kaeshi and nama-kaeshi.

Used in these dishes

Zaru soba / mori soba · Diluted with dashi to make the cold dipping sauce (mentsuyu)Kake udon / hot noodle broth · Seasoning base mixed into dashi for hot noodle soupTentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce) · Combined with dashi (and sometimes grated daikon) for tempuraSukiyaki · Warmer-style simmering and dipping liquid for the hot pot↗Nimono (simmered dishes) · Seasoning backbone for fish, vegetables, and meat braisesNikujaga (meat and potatoes) · Base seasoning for the simmering liquidKaraage · Marinade or finishing glaze for fried chicken↗Hiyamugi / cold udon tsuyu · Diluted, chilled dipping sauce for thin summer noodles

Substitutions

  • mirin → sake + 1 tsp sugar per Tbsp mirin — Recreates sweetness and body; sauce will be very slightly less glossy.
  • koikuchi shoyu → usukuchi (light) shoyu — Use roughly 80% of the volume — usukuchi is saltier and paler, ideal for clear broths.
  • koikuchi shoyu → tamari — Gluten-free option; slightly thicker and richer.
  • white sugar → kokuto (Okinawan) or coconut sugar — Adds a light caramel note; reduce slightly as these are more concentrated.

Troubleshooting

Sauce tastes harsh or boozy

Alcohol in the mirin (or sake) was not cooked off before the soy was added → Reheat gently for 2–3 minutes and let cool again.

Sugar crystals form in storage

Sugar not fully dissolved, or the jar is too cold → Rewarm gently until crystals redissolve, cool, and return to the refrigerator.

Tastes too salty when used as a dipping sauce

Kaeshi is a concentrate, not a finished sauce → Dilute roughly 1 part kaeshi to 5–6 parts dashi (or water) before service.

Color too dark and flavor too heavy

Over-reduction or use of dark soy → Stir in a little dashi or water to lighten; shorten the simmer next time.

Storage

Keeps Up to 3 months refrigerated in an airtight container — Cool fully, then store in a clean glass bottle or jar with a tight lid in the refrigerator. Reheat: No reheating required; use cold or at room temperature. Stir briefly if any separation occurs.

The science behind it

Mentsuyu (麺つゆ)Tentsuyu (天つゆ)DashiShoyu (醤油)
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