Teriyaki Sauce

So I went to go get the teriyaki sauce for a stir-fry in the works, and didn't have any.  Whoops.  I did have a brand-new bottle of soy sauce, fresh ginger for the stir-fry, and I always have fresh garlic around.  Fine, whatever, I'll do it the hard way.

Most teriyaki recipes call for mirin, a rice wine similar to sake.  I didn't happen to have either mirin or sake.  I could have run to the market for some, but then I could have bought the teriyaki and this post wouldn't exist.  I also would have come back to a cold, half-cooked, slimy stir-fry and rice I had forgotten to turn off.  You can substitute cream sherry or forgo the alcohol altogether and just add a bit more sugar.  That's the direction I'm going.

This recipe is for the thick kind of teriyaki that you use as a glaze.  For a marinade-only version, omit corn starch and only do step 2 (use the water).

*1 Tb corn starch
1/4 C water
1/2 C soy sauce
1 tsp grated fresh ginger (about 1" root)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C brown sugar or *honey, plus more to taste

1.  Start soaking the corn starch in the water.

2.  In a small pan, heat remaining ingredients until sugar is dissolved and spices are aromatic.  You do not need to boil the sauce.  Taste and add more sugar if necessary, more soy if it's too sweet.

3.  Stir in cornstarch slurry and work into sauce.  Continue to heat over medium and stir so the sugar doesn't scorch until mixture thickens and becomes glossy.  Use immediately or store up to one week.

Makes about 1 cup

Difficulty rating  π