Additional Information for Recipe Presentation!

In my pasta recipe, I used just only men-tsuyu.

As I said, it is very useful seasoning.

Therefore, this time, I would like to explain the history and production process of this all-purpose seasoning, men-tsuyu.

To begin with, men-tsuyu is a seasoning made by adding dashi (broth) to a base of soy sauce and mixing it with mirin, sake, and sugar.

It is said that the birth of it dates back to the Muromachi period, when udon already existed.

The author of the "Soba Zensho" (Complete Book of Soba) written in the Edo period, Nissinsha Tomo Soba, wrote that he did not use dried bonito flakes because he preferred vegetarian soup (soup without animal protein), indicating that everyone enjoyed making "men-tsuyu" to suit their own tastes.

However, as the name suggests, it is a seasoning designed to be used with noodles, and is used for noodles during the summer such as somen, soba, and udon. It is sold in a very diverse lineup of types, including those used diluted or straight, and types of dashi. However, as can be seen from the ingredients, it is often used as a seasoning pre-mixed with soy sauce and sake in dishes that use them.

There are actually several types of noodle soups.

Honkaeshi

Kaeshi, which is made by boiling down heated soy sauce with sugar and mirin, is called hon kaeshi. it is also characterized by the fact that it is made by letting it sit for about a week. It is said that most kaeshi used in men-tsuyu is hon kaeshi.

This type of kaeshi is generally used for men-tsuyu. It is made by heating the ingredients together, which gives it a mild flavor.

Raw kaeshi

Raw kaeshi is made by heating sugar and mirin to a syrup-like consistency and adding unheated soy sauce. This type of kaeshi is often used for soba noodle soup. It takes two to four weeks longer to make kaeshi than honzuke.

Since no heat is added to the soy sauce, the flavor of the soy sauce itself can be enjoyed.

Hansei kaeshi

Kaeshi is made by heating a small amount of soy sauce, adding sugar and mirin, and mixing it with unheated soy sauce.

The method of making kaeshi varies greatly from store to store, and there is no clear definition.

Gozen gaeshi

Gozen-kaeshi or Kami-kaeshi is made by adding mirin to kaeshi and letting it sit. It is used as a soup for zaru soba (buckwheat noodles) and has a mild sweetness and flavor.

Gozen kaeshi is more advanced and thicker than regular kaeshi, but there are very few restaurants that use it now.

 

Did you know that men-tsuyu has such a plenty of variety, so that it can work for many kinds of dishes??

When you are worried about making Japanese cuisine, I strongly recommend you to use men-tsuyu as a sesoning.

Thank you for reading:)