Makes 8 portions
Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken livers, cut into 3/4-in pieces
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-in pieces
- 8 scallions, cut into 3/4-in pieces
Yakitori Sauce
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sake
- 1 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce, not low-sodium
- Ground sansho pepper, as needed
- Japanese seven-spice (shichimi togarashi), as needed
Directions
- Soak the 8 bamboo skewers in water for at least 15 minutes.
- Skewer the chicken livers, chicken thighs, and scallions alternately onto the skewers.
- For the sauce, combine the sake, mirin, sugar, soy sauces, sansho, and seven-spice in a pot, and allow it to simmer until it has reduced by a one-quarter, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Prepare a grill for high-heat cooking. Grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- During the last minute on the grill, brush the yakitori sauce onto the skewers and allow to caramelize slightly.
- Remove from the grill, and sprinkle with sansho pepper and Japanese seven-spice.
In Japan all parts of the chicken are offered as yakitori. The grilled skin is especially savored as are the heart and gizzard. It is important to use a grill that will let you get as close to the coals as possible so that you can get a proper char on the food. A special charcoal is used for this grilling and is available (not cheaply) in the U.S. It produces a very high heat and produces little ash. When people are finished with the charcoal they put it in an airtight container so that it can be reused again.