Japanese Grilled Yakitori Chicken Skewers with Tare Glaze

Make the tare glaze by simmering the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, ginger and garlic in a small pan until reduced by a third and lightly syrupy, then strain.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 6 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup sake
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 inch ginger, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• Bamboo skewers, soaked in water
• Shichimi togarashi, to serve
• Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Instructions

1. Make the tare glaze by simmering the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, ginger and garlic in a small pan until reduced by a third and lightly syrupy, then strain.
2. Thread the chicken thigh pieces onto soaked bamboo skewers, alternating with lengths of scallion.
3. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals glow steadily; a binchotan-style bed of even heat is ideal.
4. Lay the skewers over the fire and grill, turning often, until the chicken is golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
5. Once the chicken is nearly done, start brushing on the tare glaze, returning the skewers to the fire so each coat caramelizes into the next.
6. Repeat the brush-and-char a few times until the skewers are glossy and lacquered.
7. Slide off the heat and dust with shichimi togarashi and toasted sesame seeds.
8. Serve the yakitori hot off the grill as a sharing starter, with extra tare for dipping.
9. Yakitori is the soul of Japan's izakaya culture, where skewers of chicken sizzle over glowing charcoal late into the night. The magic is in the tare, a sweet-savory glaze that grills shops keep going for years, each batch deepened by the last. Made over a backyard fire, these glossy skewers bring that smoky, communal energy straight to your cookout.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 340 kcal
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 14g
• Carbohydrates: 16g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 12g
• Sodium: 1320mg