Mirin is one of the bottles I reach for most often when I cook Japanese food at home. It helps sauces taste softer, rounder and more balanced, without making them overly sweet.

If you have ever cooked Japanese recipes, you have probably seen mirin listed alongside soy sauce and sake. Once you understand what it does, Japanese home cooking becomes much easier to follow.

In this guide, I will explain what mirin is, why it is useful, how mirin-style seasoning is different and where to buy it in Australia.

What Is Mirin?

Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine used for cooking. Traditional hon mirin is made from glutinous rice, rice koji and alcohol, which gives it a gentle sweetness and a delicate fermented aroma.

Although mirin tastes sweet, it is not just a sweetener. It helps balance salty ingredients like soy sauce and gives sauces a smoother, more rounded flavour.

What Mirin Does in Japanese Cooking

Mirin is useful in Japanese cooking because it does a few things at once:

• It adds a gentle sweetness that tastes softer than sugar.
• It balances salty flavours, especially when used with soy sauce.
• It adds depth because traditional mirin is fermented.
• It gives sauces a glossy finish. In Japanese, this shine is called teri, which is where teriyaki gets its name.

You will often see mirin used in teriyaki sauce, simmered dishes, noodle soup bases, marinades and simple Japanese home-style sauces.

Hon Mirin vs Mirin-Style Seasoning

Hon Mirin

Hon mirin is the traditional version. It contains alcohol, usually around 14%, and has a richer, deeper flavour. If you find a good hon mirin, it is lovely to keep in the pantry for everyday Japanese cooking.

Brewed Cooking Mirin

Some products sold in Australia, such as Spiral or Carwari mirin, sit somewhere closer to brewed cooking mirin than low-alcohol mirin-style seasoning. They are not always labelled as hon mirin, but they usually have more depth than the sweeter mirin-style seasonings often found in supermarkets. I see them quite regularly at local grocery stores, and they are what I usually buy when I run out of hon mirin.

Mirin-Style Seasoning

Mirin-style seasoning is the type you are most likely to find in Australian supermarkets. It usually has little to no alcohol and is made to give a similar sweetness and shine.

For everyday home cooking, mirin-style seasoning works perfectly well. If you are just starting out, you do not need to worry too much. Use what you can find, then try hon mirin later if you want a deeper flavour.

Where to Buy Mirin in Australia

Mirin has become much easier to find in Australia. You can usually look in these places:

• Major supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths or IGA, usually in the Asian foods aisle
• Japanese grocery stores, especially if you want hon mirin
• Other local grocery stores, such as fruit and vegetable shops or Asian grocery stores

If you are in Melbourne, I also share the Japanese grocery stores I often visit here: My Favourite Japanese Grocery Stores in Melbourne.

If you want help finding mirin and other Japanese pantry ingredients in Australia, this guide may be useful: Where I Buy Japanese Ingredients in Australia.

How I Use Mirin at Home

At home, I use mirin most often in teriyaki sauce, simmered dishes, udon or soba noodle soup broth, and miso-based sauces such as Miso Yaki Onigiri. It is especially useful when cooking with soy sauce because it softens the saltiness and brings everything together.

Recipes to Try with Mirin

If you want to see how mirin works in real cooking, Teriyaki Chicken and Tamagoyaki are good places to start.

• Tamagoyaki Recipe - A Simple Japanese Rolled Egg for Everyday Meals ->
• Miso Yaki Onigiri - This Simple Miso Grilled Onigiri Is Hard to Stop Eating ->

Mirin is a small ingredient, but it makes Japanese home cooking taste more balanced and complete.

- Tomoka