Skewers of chicken may be just skewers, but one that has a sweet, savory and salty flavour balanced so well with the juicy meat, gently charred over a Japanese grill, the bite is heavenly. A cold malty beer or sake and a few good company then the evening is very complete
Wikipedia gives some info on the fuel for a Japanese grill:
Binch?-tan or white charcoal is a traditional charcoal of Japan. It dates to the Edo period, when during the era, a craftsman named Bitch?-ya Ch?zaemon began to produce it in Tanabe, Wakayama. The raw material is oak, specifically ubame oak, now the official tree of Wakayama Prefecture. Wakayama continues to be a major producer of high-quality charcoal, with the town of Minabe, Wakayama producing more binch?-tan than any other town in Japan. The fineness and high quality of binch?-tan are attributed to steaming at high temperatures. Although it is often thought that binch?-tan burns hot, it actually burns at a lower temperature than ordinary charcoal but for a longer period of time. It does not release smoke or other unpleasant flavors.
My current marinade consist of (in ratio)
- good, non bitter soy (10)
- mirin (5)
- minced garlic (5)
- small amount of black asian vinegar (3)
- shao-xing liquor (made from barley) or can use sake (3)
- sesame oil (2)
- black pepper (1)
- blow torch (30 seconds at the end of cooking). This last bit is the WOW bit
The photo has some finely sliced kaffir lime leaves for a bit of experimenting
If at home and just pan frying marianted chicken the most important touch is get a blow torch and just add a bit more colour on the chicken. It adds that smokey flavour I crave so much from the Japanese grill.
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