Yakitori chicken skewers

Name: Yakitori chicken skewers
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: about 12
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: Bamboo skewers (about 12); 100ml soy sauce; 1 tbsp finely grated ginger; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 80ml sake (Japanese rice wine); 80ml mirin (sweet rice wine) or sweet sherry; 1½ tbsp sugar; Sea salt and pepper; 3 green (spring) onions, whites only; 400g chicken thigh fillets, skinless; 300g chicken livers, trimmed; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Jill Dupleix

October 19, 2011

Izakaya-inspired: Yakitori chicken skewers.Marina Oliphant

easyTime:< 30 minsMakes:about 12

These glazed, lightly sweet chicken skewers get extra oomph with the richness of chicken livers. Serve with rice or noodles and a glass of chilled sake.

Ingredients

Bamboo skewers (about 12)
100ml soy sauce
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
80ml sake (Japanese rice wine)
80ml mirin (sweet rice wine) or sweet sherry
1½ tbsp sugar
Sea salt and pepper
3 green (spring) onions, whites only
400g chicken thigh fillets, skinless
300g chicken livers, trimmed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Drain. In a pan, combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sake, mirin, sugar, salt and pepper. Add a dash of water, then bring to the boil and allow to simmer for five minutes or until thick and syrupy, almost a glaze (beware of burning). Set aside to cool.
Cut chicken and chicken livers into three-centimetre bite-size pieces. Cut spring onions into two-centimetre lengths. Thread the chicken, chicken livers and spring onions alternately onto bamboo skewers and coat well with teriyaki sauce.
Heat a chargrill or barbecue and lightly oil. Grill skewers, turning once, and baste once or twice with marinade for eight to 10 minutes until nicely golden, with scorchy bits. Serve with lemon wedges.