Any dish with teriyaki sauce is a family favorite that’s why I always have a bottle of homemade sauce to perk up grilled or pan fried dish. I once taught that preparing this sauce would take a lot of effort, I was wrong. You need few ingredients and just simmer away.
Teriyaki flavor is different each time you prepare it depending on what ingredients you use. For instance when I make it for salmon more garlic on the sauce then more ginger if chicken.
Teriyaki Sauce Three Ways
All three lunchboxes below use teriyaki sauce in different ways.
Grilled Chicken Breast with Teriyaki Sauce on the side
Panda rice bento box is a chicken breast marinated with teriyaki sauce then pan fried, sauce packed on the side.
Slow cooked Chicken Teriyaki
This week I dumped chicken drumstick with teriyaki sauce in a pan and slow cooked it for 30 minutes.
Oven baked meatballs drizzled with thick teriyaki sauce
Oh I also use sauce as salad dressing, you should try it. Yummy!
One chef on a cooking show said for an authentic teriyaki sauce all you need is to mix equal parts of soy sauce, sake and mirin and then add sugar to your liking. I tried this but sake taste was to strong for us.
We always have a bottle of mirin in the pantry but in case you don’t have any, you can use sugar or honey as substitute.
Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce *add 3 tbsp of water if you have a dark soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sake
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Procedure:
- Combine soy, mirin, sake and sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to boil.
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
- Pour cornstarch mixture in the sauce and whisk till evenly distributed.
- Cook till you reach desired thickness.
Use recipe below if you don’t have mirin and sake
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce *add 3 tbsp of water if you have a dark soy sauce
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 3 tbsp sugar or honey
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Procedure:
- Combine soy, lemon and sugar in a small sauce pan and bring to boil.
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
- Pour cornstarch mixture in the sauce and whisk till evenly distributed.
- Cook till you reach desired thickness.
Note: I add a tablespoon of either ginger or garlic by the time I add sauce to meat.
Cuddles and Crumbs 
Looks great
I am a fan of home-made sauces, way healthier than the processed stuff. Definitely going to try this as I’m forever struggling with ways to keep the lunch box appetizing. Thanks for sharing.
On another note, I would love to know where you got hold of the blue-tiffin box-the one with the brilliant partitioning?
Home-made sauces are way healthier than the packaged, processed stuff. Definitely going to try this as I’m forever looking for ways to make the lunch box more appetizing. Thanks for sharing.
On another note, would love to know where you got the blue tiffin box from – the one with the brilliant partitioning?
box is called BentGo Kids, bought it online. I have seen similar compartment type boxes at Virgin Megastore.
Thank you I’m going to check out Virgin soon 🙂
I usually make a similar sauce for anything Chinese. I like the meatballs with sauce idea!
Thank you Tarana!
Love your bento creations! Would ded giving teriyaki a try very soon.
definitely*
Thank you Tasneem!
You make it look so creative and fun! Teriyaki sauce is one of my favourites, thanks for all the recipes!