Video

The Ingredient: Sake Lees

03.05.08

Who knew the dregs of sake could be so tasty? Chef Wylie Dufresne discusses the unusual Asian ingredient sake lees (also called sake kasu), the thick rice paste that’s left at the end of the sake-making process. Often used in Asia as a marinade for fish or meat, sake lees are given an unusual twist in Dufresne’s kitchen. Their deep umami flavor is reminiscent of miso, but sake lees have a sweetness and a lingering note of sake that makes their taste distinctive. They are available at many Asian specialty-food stores.