Yakitori: Chicken Kebabs

chicken kebobs
Yakitori, or chicken kebabs, are extremely popular in Japan. They’re one of its most emblematic street foods, often served with a cold beer in a bar or Izakaya. We like this recipe with vinegar instead of the sweeter, more traditional mirin. Recipe courtesy of Épices de Cru

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 4 scallions, whites only
  • 1lb chicken in 3 cm cubes
  • Épices de Cru Shichimi Togorashi, for garnish
Method

  1. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes.
  2. Put soy sauce, sugar and vinegar in a pot. Bring to boil and watch that it doesn’t boil over. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. The sauce should reduce by half. Set aside.
  3. Cut scallions into 3-inch chunks.
  4. Make the kebabs by alternating chicken cubes and onion chunks (around 4-5 pieces for each skewer).
  5. Cook skewers in a hot pan for 5-7 minutes on one side. Flip them and cook until half-cooked, 2-3 minutes.
  6. Dip the kebabs in the sauce, return them to the pot, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  7. Dip the kebabs again and cook on the other side until the yakitori is cooked through.
  8. Garnish with shichimi togorashi and serve.