Grilled eel sandwich with sweet soy glaze and fresh cilantro Grilled Eel Sandwich with Sweet Soy Glaze Smooth beet hummus served in a bowl with a swirl of olive oil Vibrant Roasted Beet Hummus Kimchi Jjigae, bubbling spicy Korean stew with tofu and pork Spicy Kimchi Stew with Pork Belly (Kimchi Jjigae) Tomato calzone stuffed pizza Classic Tomato & Basil Calzone Orange-Pomegranate Punch freshly served Orange & Pomegranate Holiday Punch Acili Ezme spicy tomato dip Spicy Turkish Tomato Dip (Acılı Ezme) Skolebrød with lemon glaze, freshly baked Danish pastry Danish Skolebrød (Lemon Glazed Custard Buns) Elote with Mayonnaise - fresh corn served with mayonnaise, cheese, and sour cream Classic Mayo Elote (Mexican Street Corn) House Burger with crispy pancetta and grilled onions The Ultimate Bistro Burger Velvety Red Wine & Caper Sauce poured over steak Velvety Red Wine & Caper Sauce Chocolate coconut truffles (Narkel Naru) piled up Chocolate Coconut Truffles (Narkel Naru) Swedish meatballs served with lingonberry jam and fresh herbs Classic Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar) with Lingonberry Jam Savory oat and cheese biscuits served on a plate Savory Oat & Cheese Biscuits Pizza with wild mushrooms and bacon "Woodsman's Style" Mushroom & Bacon Pizza Cinnamon vanilla latte in a mug Cinnamon Vanilla Latte Egusi soup with chicken, rich spiced soup served with vegetables Nigerian Egusi Soup with Chicken Chinese jiaozi dumplings in spicy chili oil served on a white porcelain plate Sichuan Spicy Wontons in Chili Oil (Jiaozi) Freshly baked Greek Yogurt Croissants Greek Yogurt & Honey Croissants Pan-seared chicken breast with creamy dill sauce Chicken Breast with Creamy Dill Sauce Elderflower panna cotta served Elderflower Panna Cotta Grilled eel sandwich with sweet soy glaze and fresh cilantro Grilled Eel Sandwich with Sweet Soy Glaze Smooth beet hummus served in a bowl with a swirl of olive oil Vibrant Roasted Beet Hummus Kimchi Jjigae, bubbling spicy Korean stew with tofu and pork Spicy Kimchi Stew with Pork Belly (Kimchi Jjigae) Tomato calzone stuffed pizza Classic Tomato & Basil Calzone Orange-Pomegranate Punch freshly served Orange & Pomegranate Holiday Punch Acili Ezme spicy tomato dip Spicy Turkish Tomato Dip (Acılı Ezme) Skolebrød with lemon glaze, freshly baked Danish pastry Danish Skolebrød (Lemon Glazed Custard Buns) Elote with Mayonnaise - fresh corn served with mayonnaise, cheese, and sour cream Classic Mayo Elote (Mexican Street Corn) House Burger with crispy pancetta and grilled onions The Ultimate Bistro Burger Velvety Red Wine & Caper Sauce poured over steak Velvety Red Wine & Caper Sauce Chocolate coconut truffles (Narkel Naru) piled up Chocolate Coconut Truffles (Narkel Naru) Swedish meatballs served with lingonberry jam and fresh herbs Classic Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar) with Lingonberry Jam Savory oat and cheese biscuits served on a plate Savory Oat & Cheese Biscuits Pizza with wild mushrooms and bacon "Woodsman's Style" Mushroom & Bacon Pizza Cinnamon vanilla latte in a mug Cinnamon Vanilla Latte Egusi soup with chicken, rich spiced soup served with vegetables Nigerian Egusi Soup with Chicken Chinese jiaozi dumplings in spicy chili oil served on a white porcelain plate Sichuan Spicy Wontons in Chili Oil (Jiaozi) Freshly baked Greek Yogurt Croissants Greek Yogurt & Honey Croissants Pan-seared chicken breast with creamy dill sauce Chicken Breast with Creamy Dill Sauce Elderflower panna cotta served Elderflower Panna Cotta
Grilled eel sandwich with sweet soy glaze and fresh cilantro
Grilled eel and fresh cilantro sandwich

Grilled Eel Sandwich with Sweet Soy Glaze

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Unagi (freshwater eel) is a luxury staple of Japanese cuisine, traditionally served over rice (Unadon). This recipe is a bold fusion: the rich, fatty, smoky eel is contrasted by the crisp texture of toast and the piquancy of wasabi. The caramelized flavor of the 'kabayaki' style sweet-savory sauce and the freshness of cilantro create a flavor bomb, proving that a sandwich can indeed be a gourmet dish.
🕒 Prep Time 10 mins
🍳 Cook Time 10 mins
⌛ Total Time 20 mins
🍽️ Servings 2 servings
🔥 Calories 480 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Japanese Fusion

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Skillet or Grill Pan: To toast the bread and warm the eel.
  • Knife: For cutting toppings.
  • Small Bowl: To mix the sauce.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat
⚠️ Fish
⚠️ Soy

Instructions

1 ✓

Combine sauce ingredients: soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, and half of the wasabi. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Tip: Wasabi's heat is volatile, so mix the sauce cold; do not cook it.
2 ✓

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place unagi fillets in the pan (skin-side down if applicable) and cook for 2-3 minutes until the fat sizzles and the edges caramelize.

Tip: There is a lot of fat under the eel's skin; rendering this fat concentrates the flavor and improves the texture.
3 ✓

Remove the eel. In the remaining flavorful fat (or a clean pan), toast the bread slices on both sides until golden brown.

Tip: Crispy bread provides essential textural contrast to the soft, rich fish.
4 ✓

Spread the remaining wasabi (to taste) and the prepared sauce on the inside of the toasted bread.

Tip: The sauce soaking into the bread pores ensures a burst of flavor in every bite.
5 ✓

Place the eel on the bread, top with fresh cilantro, and cover with the other slice of bread. Cut in half diagonally.

Tip: Serve immediately while the bread is crispy and the fish is hot.

Recipe FAQ

Where can I buy Unagi?
Look for pre-grilled (Kabayaki) eel in the frozen section of Asian grocery stores.
What can I substitute for Mirin?
A mixture of white wine and a little sugar is a good alternative.

Ingredients

  • 7 oz Grilled Unagi Fillet (frozen or vacuum-packed)
  • 4 slices White Sandwich Bread or Shokupan (Milk Bread)
  • 2 tbsp Japanese Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine)
  • 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Wasabi Paste
  • 1 pinch Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves