Mirin vs. Rice Wine
Rice wine is commonly used for adding complexity and depth to various dishes. It is also a great ingredient if you want more sweetness in the mix. The Shao Hsing brand of cooking wine brings a good mix of sweetness and complexity to dishes with every drop.
If an Asian recipe calls for rice wine and can’t find any, you can use mirin. If there is still no mirin, the closest you can use to arrive at a similar result is sherry. Rice wine vinegar is not considered a good substitute for wine because wine and vinegar have vastly different compositions.
On the other hand, Mirin is commonly used for creating unique sauces with plenty of flavor and sweetness. Mirin is often 45% sugar, making it a wonderful accompaniment when you are making glazes and sauces. Those who say they have not encountered mirin before probably don’t know that many Japanese sauces are made with mirin.
Michiu vs. Mirin
Michiu is a rice wine manufactured for cooking. Michiu has an ABV of 19.5%, which is higher than most beers and wines. It is considered a specialty wine that is regularly used in Taiwanese recipes. A fine example of an Asian dish cooked with Michie is shochu chicken. Taiwanese duck recipes are also often cooked with this wine. Remember that you will not find Michiu in most Asian stores as it is a highly specialized ingredient.
You can check out Amazon for some suppliers in the US or near your region. Mirin is considered an adequate substitute for Michiu if you can’t find one online or nearby. Typically, Michiu is easier to find in the United States because some importers sell specialized ingredients.
