Yakitori - Japanese chicken skewers from the grill
Yakitori (Jap. 焼き鳥) literally translates to "grilled poultry", revealing the type of meat used in these popular skewers. In typical Japanese fashion, you won't find large pieces of meat on the grill; instead, small pieces are skewered and then grilled. The first mentions of Yakitori date back to the year 1643. At that time, the dish was documented with meat from wild birds, skewered, grilled, and then seasoned. In today's traditional recipe, chicken breast fillet is commonly used, but thighs, wings, and even offal are also popular choices. Other types of meat and fish work equally well, and you can also create delicious skewers with purely vegetarian ingredients like vegetables. If you stroll through the streets of Japan, you'll likely encounter the beloved chicken Yakitori as a form of street food, sold as a convenient hand-held snack.
The Japanese, sweet and spicy marinade sets the tone
But not only the meat plays a crucial role as an ingredient in the traditional recipe. The marinade gives the Yakitori skewer a Japanese touch and enhances the flavor. For those with enough time to prepare the Yakitori skewers, marinating the meat several hours before consumption in the Yakitori sauce can make Japanese chicken skewers a BBQ favorite! Key components of the marinade include the two rice wines Mirin and Sake. Sake has a higher alcohol content and is less sweet than Mirin, but both are commonly used together in Japanese cuisine.
Yakitori recipe for 4 persons
800-1000g
Chicken breast fillet (ca. 200-250g per person)
|
3
garlic cloves
|
200ml
japanese soy sauce
|
200ml
mirin
|
1-2 tablespoons
brown sugar
|
1 tablespoons
sesame oil
|
100ml
sake
|
one piece
ginger
|
1/2 bunch
spring onions
|
some sesame
|
soaked wooden skewers or similar skewers that can be pierced through the meat (Info: Soak wooden skewers in water overnight. They absorb the water and thus do not burn on the grill. The skewers can then be easily removed from the grilled food.)
|
Info: For those who don't have time to marinate the Yakitori skewers several hours in advance, you can brush the chicken with the sauce while it is grilling.
Enjoy your meal!