Savory Onion Vinegar
Popular on Awaji Island, one of Japan’s largest producers of onions, Savory Onion Vinegar is more than an onion-infused vinegar; it’s a complex master sauce. One that is deeply rich and savory due to the fact that the onions, mirin, soy sauce, and rice vinegar are all high in umami. Think of Savory Onion Vinegar as a type of ponzu—the Japanese wonder sauce that combines sweet, salty, sour, and savory flavors. But instead of being made with citrus, it’s made with piquant onions and vinegar. Like ponzu, Savory Onion Vinegar can be used as a seasoning, condiment, and dipping sauce for all kinds of foods. The marinated onions too can be used in a variety of ways.
Make the recipe with any variety of sweet onion (similar to Awaji Island’s famous “New” Onions) or yellow onion. The former will create a sweeter, milder-tasting sauce; the latter a more pungent one. Whichever one you chose, don’t soak the onions in water before using (as you might to reduce their pungency,) as this may introduce unwanted bacteria.
Savory Onion Vinegar
Tamanegi-Zu : 玉ねぎ酢
Makes 1 cup (240 ml)
Main Foods
Sweet or Yellow Onion, 1 small or 1/2 medium (about 125 g)
Seasonings
Mirin, 1 tablespoon
Soy Sauce, 1/3 cup (80 ml)
Rice Vinegar, 1/3 cup (80 ml)
Directions
Slice the onion thinly. Put the mirin, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the sliced onions, and let come to room temperature.
Using clean chopsticks or other utensil, pack the onion slices into a sterilized 1 cup (240 ml) or slightly larger glass jar. Pour the liquid over the onions, making sure it completely covers them. If you need to add more soy sauce and rice vinegar, do so in a 1:1 ratio. (There’s no need to boil this.)
Seal the jar and give it a few shakes to distribute the seasonings. Refrigerate and leave overnight before using so that the onions have a chance to steep and the flavors meld. It will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Use
The uses for an onion-flavored sauce with an irresistible combination of sweet, salty, pungent, and savory tastes are pretty endless. As a dressing for fresh vegetables, like tomatoes and cucumbers, and mixed salads, when you can combine it with any kind of oil or mayonnaise. As a dipping sauce and condiment for grilled meats and fried foods. It’s delicious spooned over slices of our Steamed Roast Beef. It can also be used as a seasoning for soups, stir-fries, simmered dishes, and stews. It will add depth and complexity of flavor, while also brightening their taste. Use the sauce with or without the onions. The deliciously pickled onions, in turn, can be used by themselves in salads, on sandwiches, in stir-fries and stews, and as a garnish to dishes.
Variations / Substitutions
If you don’t have mirin or rice vinegar, or would like to substitute these two seasonings to customize the flavor of the onion vinegar, use other sweeteners or types of vinegars, keeping in mind the following:
Mirin’s sugar content is about 50%. In other words, you can substitute it with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar or about 2 teaspoons of honey (which is about 80% sugar.)
Rice vinegar is a mild, slightly sweet vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is the closest to it.
Other sweeteners and vinegars won’t have as much umami as mirin and rice vinegar, but there’s plenty of that in the onions and soy sauce.