1.
food simmered in sweetened soy sauce or sugar syrup; candied
A Japanese cooking method where ingredients are slowly simmered in a sweet mixture of sugar, soy sauce, and mirin until glazed and tender. Common with small fish, chestnuts, and other ingredients.
鮎の甘露煮を作った。
I made sweetfish simmered in sweet soy.
栗の甘露煮はおせちの定番だ。
Candied chestnuts are a staple of New Year's dishes.
祖母が作る小魚の甘露煮は、骨まで柔らかくて絶品だった。
The candied small fish my grandmother made were exquisite — tender right through to the bones.
A compound of 甘露 (sweet nectar) and 煮 (simmering/cooking). A traditional Japanese preservation and cooking technique. The long, slow simmering in sweetened liquid gives the food a glossy, caramelized appearance and a sweet-savory flavor. Particularly associated with 鮎 (sweetfish), 栗 (chestnuts), and 佃煮-style small fish.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 鮎の甘露煮: candied sweetfish
- 栗の甘露煮: candied chestnuts
- 甘露煮にする: to simmer in sweet syrup
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 佃煮: food simmered in soy and sugar — similar but typically uses stronger soy flavor and smaller pieces
- 煮付け: food simmered in seasoned broth — broader category, not necessarily sweet
- 砂糖漬け: preserved in sugar — uses sugar without cooking