Yakitori
Yakitori shops—small places, mostly joints, where you sit at the counter—specialize in chicken, though you can use this sauce and technique for almost anything that can be cut into bite-sized pieces: chicken wings, chicken skin, chicken livers or gizzards, bits of pork, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, even garlic cloves. Sometimes different things are combined on skewers, too, so feel free to go that route. A good hot fire, preferably made with real charcoal (not gas and certainly not briquettes) is requisite. Chicken thighs are often boned before sale; if you can find only bone-in thighs, you will quickly figure out how to remove the meat from them—it’s simple (and the bones make great stock). Do not use breasts in this recipe unless you are a fan of dry meat. As long as you have the grill going, you might make some Roasted Red Peppers (page 470). Or, if you feel like it, Sautéed Peppers with Miso (page 78). Either is a great accompaniment. Shichimi pepper is a spice mixture sold in Japanese markets.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Start a charcoal fire or preheat the broiler; it should be very hot, with the rack set not more than 4 inches from the heat source and preferably somewhat less. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil; simmer for about a minute, stirring. Remove from the heat.
Step 2
Traditionally, yakitori is skewered on wood, but you can use metal if you prefer (because the cooking time is so short, there’s really no need to soak the skewers first). Skewer the chicken pieces, leaving a little bit of space between pieces. Brush once, lightly, with the sauce.
Step 3
Grill or broil, basting frequently but lightly (since the sauce is sweet, it will burn, so it’s best if it does not drip directly onto the coals) and turning the skewers as the chicken browns. Total cooking time will be less than 10 minutes. Sprinkle with shichimi if you like and serve immediately, with the lemon wedges.
