Dish · japanese
Unadon
Grilled freshwater eel, basted in a sweet soy glaze, laid over a bowl of rice that soaks up the drippings underneath. The eel's skin turns slightly charred while the flesh stays soft and fatty.
Where it comes from
Eel grilling with a sweet soy glaze, called kabayaki, is documented in Japan from the Edo period, when it became popular street food eaten specifically to build stamina through summer heat, a belief that persists in the dish's timing today.
What cooks argue about
Kanto and Kansai regions argue over steaming the eel before grilling, which softens the flesh but can wash out flavor, against the Kansai method of grilling straight through for a firmer, crisper result.
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