Japanese Yakitori at Home

Ingredients for Chicken Yakitori:
1 lb chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
6 inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water
Sichimi Togarashi
Yakitori dipping sauce

Directions for Chicken Yakitori:
1. Trim off any excess fat using a boning knife, cut 3/4 inch chunks of chicken thigh squares.

2. Skewer 5 to 6 pieces of chicken per skewer placing them snugly together. Grill over coals with high heat, but no flames until half way done.

3. Dip into yakitori dipping sauce and place back over coals to finish cooking.

4. Serve with sichimi togarashi on the side. Or the dipping sauces suggested below. You can also add shishito peppers, shitake mushrooms, or Negi (Japanese green onion) to your chicken skewers.

Ingriedents for Beef Short Rib Yakitori:
1 lb boneless beef short rib
6 inch bamboo skewers
Sichimi Togarashi
Yakitori dipping sauce

Directions for Beef Short Rib Yakitori:
1. Trim off any excess fat of the short rib using a boning knife. Cut rectangle blocks of short rib measuring 3 inches by 1 & 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch thick. Skewer beef onto bamboo skewers. Grill over coals with high heat but no flame until half way done.

2. At this point you can either dip in dipping sauce and finish grilling or grill plain and use ponzu or garlic soy as your sauces. Turn the skewer over and grill until just done. Serve with sichimi togarashi and or dipping sauces on the side.

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauces:
Yakitori Dipping Sauce:
5 oz yellow rock sugar
1 cup mirin
2 cup light soy sauce

Directions for Yakitori dipping sauce:
1. Bring ingredients to a simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced by 1/2.

Ponzu Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1/8 tsp chile flake
1 tbsp mirin

Directions for Ponzu:
1. Mix all ingredients and reserve

Garlic Soy:
1/4 cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced

Directions for Garlic Soy:
1. Mix all ingredients and reserve.