Along with Gyoza, Yakitori is another of our favourites and is usually one of the starters to our Japanese meals. It's not surprising that it's one of the most popular bites to have with drinks in Japan.
Chicken Yakitori
4 skinless & boneless chicken thigh fillets
spring onions, sliced into 3cm/1.5 inches batons
skewers
For the Yakitori Sauce
75ml Japanese Soy Sauce
60ml Sake
15ml Mirin
1 tablespoon caster sugar
To make the Yakitori Sauce:
In a small saucepan add the Soy, Sake, Mirin and caster sugar - stir and slowly bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Prepare the Chicken:
Trim the chicken of any excess and then cut into bite sized cubes. I tend to cut each thigh fillet into thirds and then slice that into thirds again. Naturally, this does depend on the size of the thigh fillet.
To make the skewers:
If you use bamboo skewers make sure you have soaked them first to stop them from burning.
Thread alternately with chicken and spring onion baton - don't put too much on each skewer, 4 pieces of chicken and 3 spring onion batons should be enough for each skewer.
If you are doing this as finger food, then just use one piece each of chicken and spring onion.
To Cook:
You can do this on a grill or in a frypan - choice is yours.
Brush the yakitori sauce over the prepared skewers before placing them (sauce side down) on the heated grill/frypan. Brush the topside of each skewer before turning. Continue brushing and turning until the chicken is cooked and nicely browned. The sugar in the sauce will result in that lovely caramelised effect.
To Serve:
As part of a main meal, rice makes an excellent accompaniment. As a nibble, try them with an Asahi or even a glass of plum wine.
Tagged with Savoury Food
That looks really really good.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sara - it tastes pretty good too!
ReplyDeleteNicely done and you explained it very well. I am going to have to google caster sugar, as I've never used it before.
ReplyDeleteChris
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HI Chris - Caster sugar is just a finer grade of white sugar - it dissolves quicker and so it's preferred. You could just use white sugar.
ReplyDeleteCaster Sugar is sometimes called super fine/superfine sugar, especially in the US (where I live).
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