How To Make Yakitori

Step 1: You will need …

Step 2: Make the marinade

Mix 100ml soy sauce, 50ml sake, 50ml mirin and about 2 teaspoons of sugar together in a bowl. Mix the chicken into the marinade and refrigerate for at least 5 hours for the flavour to be absorbed.

Step 3: Skewer

Put some aluminium foil into the bottom of a grill tray.

Chop the leeks and pepper in to 2.5cm square pieces. Thread the chicken on to the skewer then add the leek, another piece of chicken, the red pepper and then add a final piece of chicken to cover the top of the skewer. Leave some space at the bottom of the skewer as a handle. Put the skewer onto the grill tray. Repeat until you run out of ingredients.

Handy hint, to stop the exposed end of the skewer burning, fold the aluminium foil over it.

Step 4: Cook

Preheat the grill to a high temperature, then slide the tray with the chicken in to cook. They should be cooked very quickly, or the chicken pieces will dry out. Check them from time to time, and turn them over once they're cooked on one side. They take about 10-15 minutes to cook, and when they are ready should look very slightly burned.

Step 5: Sauce

Put the yakitori on a serving plate and brush them generously with the 50 millilitres of thick teriyaki sauce.

Yakitori can be served as a side dish or as a main dish. It's often washed down with cold Japanese beer.