When I first moved to Australia, I assumed I would need to go to a Japanese grocery store to cook proper Japanese food at home. But it turned out to be much simpler than that.

You can often find the three essential ingredients of Japanese cooking - soy sauce, mirin and sake - at supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths and IGA, or even at local fruit and vegetable shops.

These three bottles are the base of many Japanese dishes, from teriyaki sauce to simmered dishes and noodle soup broth. Once you have them in your pantry, cooking Japanese food at home feels much more approachable.

If you want help finding Japanese ingredients in Australia more generally, I share that here: Where I Buy Japanese Ingredients in Australia.

Here is what to look for on your next supermarket shop.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is made from soybeans, wheat, salt and koji. Many cultures have their own versions, but Japanese soy sauce has a softer, more balanced flavour that makes it especially useful in home cooking.

In Australia, the easiest one to find at supermarkets is usually Kikkoman soy sauce in the Asian foods aisle. It is widely available, reliable and easy to cook with.

In Japan, the most common type of soy sauce used for everyday cooking is called koikuchi shoyu. This is the standard soy sauce used for things like teriyaki, simmered dishes and marinades.

If you want a different everyday option, Spiral Organic Shoyu is another one I like to recommend. It has a balanced flavour and feels like a nice step when you want to try something beyond the most common supermarket bottle.

You will probably also see gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in some supermarkets. These can be a good option if you want to avoid wheat. Tamari often has a richer, rounder flavour and can taste less sharp than regular soy sauce, despite being thicker. It can also usually be used in place of regular soy sauce.

If you want a very good quality soy sauce, Kishibori Shoyu is one I would recommend. It is a premium soy sauce with a deeper, more rounded flavour, so it feels especially nice when you want something a little more special.

Mirin

Mirin is a sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking. It gives dishes their gentle sweetness, but it also adds shine and a kind of roundness that is hard to get from sugar alone.

In Australia, you will often see mirin-style seasoning in major supermarkets, usually in the Asian foods aisle. These are easy to find and work well for everyday home cooking, especially for dishes like teriyaki.

If you want to try something beyond the usual supermarket mirin-style seasoning, Spiral Foods Gluten Free Mirin is one I often see in Australia. I do not usually see it in big supermarkets, but I often find it in fruit and vegetable shops, health food stores or smaller grocery stores. It is made from rice and koji and has a deeper flavour than mirin-style seasoning, so even a small amount can make a noticeable difference to the flavour.

If you want to understand mirin in more detail, this guide may help: What Is Mirin? The Sweet Japanese Ingredient I Always Keep in My Pantry.

Cooking Sake (Ryorishu)

Cooking sake is the last of the three, and it is a useful ingredient to keep on hand. It helps tenderise meat, soften strong smells in fish or meat, and adds a gentle depth to the overall flavour of a dish.

In Japanese cooking, sake is often used in simmered dishes, marinades and sauces. You may not always notice it directly, but it helps make the overall flavour feel rounder and more balanced.

Cooking sake can sometimes be found in the Asian foods aisle at supermarkets, although it can vary by store.

One thing to keep in mind is that some cooking sakes sold in Australian supermarkets contain added salt. That is totally fine for everyday cooking, but it is worth checking so you do not accidentally over-season your dish.

If you want a different option, Carwari Certified Organic Cooking Sake is one I often see at local grocery stores in Australia and would recommend. It has a rich scent and a mild flavour, and it works well in everyday Japanese cooking.

At home, if I run out of cooking sake, I often use dry white wine instead, especially in dishes like teriyaki chicken. Dry sherry can also be a good substitute. I would just avoid sweet cooking wine, as it can affect the flavour.

How These Three Ingredients Work Together

The real magic is in how these three ingredients work together. Teriyaki sauce is a simple example. At its most basic, it is just:

• soy sauce
• mirin
• sake

(some people use a little sugar as well. I often use honey.)

When these ingredients come together, the flavour is deeper and more balanced than anything you get from most store-bought teriyaki sauces.

Making Japanese Cooking Work in Australia

These three ingredients are often described as the foundation of Japanese cooking, but cooking Japanese food in Australia is not about chasing perfection. It is about finding a balance between authenticity and practicality, and learning how to cook in a way that still feels true to the food with ingredients you can find here.

With a few key ingredients and a bit of flexibility, you can absolutely cook delicious Japanese food at home in Australia.

- Tomoka