Unagi is a delicacy in many Japanese restaurants but, are you aware of the fact that you can buy the precooked version of unagi at your local grocery store and reheat it at your house. If you think that’s a huge hustle you can still buy unagi from your favourite restaurants and reheat it by yourself. Unagi is a fresh water eel whose blood contains are poisonous, so it is never eaten raw, that is why in Japanese restaurants you will notice that unagi is always cooked when served as sushi. If you are keen about trying the precooked version of unagi or if you simply want to order at any Japanese restaurant then this article is definitely for you. It will highlighting the different methods that you can use to reheat unagi.
Contents
Reheat unagi using an oven
NB: this method is time consuming but you are guaranteed of a perfectly reheated unagi.
You can reheat unagi using an oven especially if you purchased the precooked version of unagi at your local store. Before doing anything else you have to first defrost the unagi so that it reheats properly. When the unagi has defrosted cut it into 4 equal pieces so that they can reheat evenly. The next step is to preheat the oven to 425F before adding the unagi. Take the 4 pieces of unagi that you have nicely cut out and place them on a baking sheet that has aluminium foil on it. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sake on top of the unagi so that it gets a little bit of flavour. Bake it in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until it has reheated. When you take it out of the oven you can place it on top of your rice and sprinkle sauce on top of it. This is how unagi is usually served in Japan, there is a traditional dish known as unadon that has unagi, white steamed rice and a sauce.
Reheat unagi using a stove
NB: This method is easy but it requires one to babysit the unagi so that it does not stick to the pan.
When reheating unagi using the stove the first step is to defrost the unagi. The next step is to find a non-stick pan and spray it with non-stick cooking spray then place it on a stove that is switched on to medium heat. The purpose of using a non-stick pan is so that the unagi does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Take the unagi and place it in the non-stick pan then reheat it for one minute. If it still hasn’t reheated you can place it back for like 30 seconds. When the unagi has completely reheated you can serve it with any sauce of your choice so that you can elevate the flavour more.
Reheat unagi using a microwave
NB: this is the easiest method especially if you are in a hurry you can also buy precooked rice to go hand in hand with the unagi.
Unagi can be reheated in the microwave if you are in a hurry and you can use this method if you bought precooked unagi that is in a bag. The first thing you have to do is cut off a small corner of the unagi bag so that when it is reheated it can vent out steams. The unagi bag does not melt when heat is introduced to it so do not be scared that it might melt. However, if you do not want to reheat the unagi in the bag you can simply place it in a microwave safe dish and cover it with a wet cloth or paper towel. The wet cloth or paper towel will prevent the microwave from absorbing heat directly from the unagi. The next thing is to place the unagi in the microwave and reheat it for a minute on high temperature. When the time has passed take it out and check if it is warm enough or if it still needs another minute to completely reheat. When the unagi is warm enough you can cut it into smaller pieces and serve it with precooked rice. This is one of the easiest meals to make especially if you are feeling lazy or if you are in a hurry.
Reheat unagi in a microwave together with rice
NB: this method only works if the rice is already cooked.
You can order unadon from your favourite Japanese restaurant and reheat it at home. Unadon is steamed white rice that is served with grilled unagi and a sauce. When you order it you can simply place the whole dish in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it for about 3 minutes on medium heat. When the 3 minute time mark has passed check to see if the unadon has reheated. The unagi will also have reheated so you can really enjoy it together with all the other ingredients.
Conclusion
Generally you will find the precooked version of unagi in the store and it is easier to prepare since all you have to do is reheat it. The reason why most grocery stores sell the precooked version is because unagi is a fresh water eel that has blood which is poisonous so at all times it should eaten while cooked. If you happen to come around a store that sells fresh unagi it is highly recommended that you are aware of the right ways of cooking it so that you avoid getting sick. The thrust of this article was to highlight some of the methods that you can use to reheat unagi and these include using the oven which happens to be the best method if you really want to get a nice flavour to it. The stove method and the microwave methods are also highly recommended especially if you do not have a lot of time to spare. However, it is important to choose the method that that you are most comfortable with when reheating your unagi.
