The basic seasonings of Yakitori
are sauce and salt. The main ingredients of the traditional sauce-based flavor
are soy sauce, mirin, or Japanese sweet rice wine for cooking, and sake.
Today mirin is exported all over the world but if it is not available near
you, a good alternative is a mixture of sake and brown sugar or honey.
The secret to the taste of the sauce is the ratio and combination of these ingredients.
Each Yakitori shop maintains its own unique and traditional recipe and
guards its confidentiality.
On the other hand, the salt flavor Yakitori has increased in popularity
in recent years. A light salty flavor is a good match for Yakitori and more people
are showing preference for this light salty taste.
Alternatively, you may even want to try another flavored sauce made of mayonnaise
and mustard or spices. This kind of a sauce also goes very well with Yakitori.
Yakitori is best cooked using square or flat bamboo skewers 15 cm in length.
Hard type bamboo skewers are preferred as they do not burn or break when placed
over fire.
It is hard to learn proper cooking time from a cookbook because it depends on
the condition of the meat, the kind of dish being prepared, the season and individual
preferences. A professional cook specializing in grilling says, "The best
time to remove the meat from the fire is when it is grilled to the perfect degree
of softness. At that time, the meat is juiciest."
The knack for preparing perfect Yakitori can be gained only through experience.
So go ahead and give it a try! We are sure that you will enjoy the process and
the results. |
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Mastering the skill
of grilling Yakitori
requires practice |
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Grilled liver and chicken
meat are
two kinds of Yakitori |
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| Yakitori is dipped
in sauce |
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