Japanese: そばにかえしをつくりました。

えいごで: In Japan it is customary to eat soba (buckwheat) noodles on new years eve. The long noodles symbolise a long life. One of the components for the soup is kaeshi, a mix of mirin, soy-sauce and sugar. The ratios are, in volume, four parts soy-sauce to one part mirin and one part sugar (more or less sugar according to taste).

I prefer to use honmirin, which contains around 14% of alcohol.

Heat the mirin, let it simmer, add the sugar, stir until dissolved. Add soy-sauce, slowly heat and stir, not letting it boil, stop when the bubbles start. Leave to cool, if possible, keep in the fridge for one day.