Mirin can play a role in dips, sauces, dressings, marinades, and dishes like Korean beef or steamed clams. Try This Recipe: Tonkatsu Sauce So there you have it: just as sake is to drinking, mirin is to cooking. You may not have the best luck finding hon mirin at a mass-market ...
If you want something really tasty to try out I suggest going for gyudon. The beef used in gyudon is savory and it actually reminds me a bit of stew beef with the way it has been cooked. I will warn you though, gyudon is heavy on rice so if you are on a diet you may want to...