焼鳥

Yakitori

Yakitori is usually cooked over a charcoal grill or on a barbecue hotplate. These grilled chicken skewers are hugely popular as they make an ideal snack between meals.

MAKES 8

SAUCE

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) chicken wings, cut into 3 pieces at the joints

375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) mirin

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) sake

375 ml (13 fl oz/1½ cups) Japanese soy sauce

55 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

3 teaspoons kuzu starch rocks or arrowroot

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) large chicken thigh fillets

4 baby leeks or thick spring onions (scallions), white part only, cut into four

Soak eight small bamboo skewers in water for 1 hour.

To make the sauce, preheat the grill (broiler) to high. Cook the chicken wings, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until dark golden and starting to blacken slightly. Remove and set aside. Pour the mirin and sake into a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the soy sauce and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the wings and bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Strain the sauce (you can serve the chicken wings as a snack). Pour a little of the sauce into a small dish and add the kuzu. Crush the rocks and stir into the liquid until it has dissolved, then return to the pan.

Put the pan over high heat and stir until the mixture boils and becomes thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.

Cut each thigh fillet into 12 even pieces. Starting with a piece of chicken and alternating with leek, thread 3 pieces of chicken and 2 pieces of leek onto each skewer. Pour a little of the sauce into a small dish for basting and reserve the rest for serving.

Heat a grill to high and cook the skewers, turning regularly, for 3–4 minutes, then baste with the sauce. Cook on each side for a further 1–2 minutes, basting again during this time, until well glazed and the chicken is cooked through. Serve with a drizzle of the sauce.

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Crush the kuzu rocks in a small quantity of the sauce.