The rice wine, daikon, and soy sauce marinade tenderizes the chicken in this classic Japanese dish grilled on skewers. Serve with Ponzu Sauce. Plan ahead for marination time.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 1/3 cup sake
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/3 cup pureed daikon
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 9 to 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes, then dried
- Vegetable oil spray
Preparation:
Combine the mirin, sake, soy sauce, daikon, sugar, cayenne, and vegetable oil in a large zippered plastic bag. Seal and toss the bag back and forth until all the chicken pieces are coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.Mound the charcoals in one side of the grill, leaving the other side emptry. Heat the grill.
While waiting for the grill to get hot, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Thread 5 to 6 pieces of chicken close to one another onto each bamboo skewer. Transfer the remaining marinade to a bowl and set aside.
Spray the chicken pieces generously with vegetable oil, and lay the skewers on the grill over medium-high heat. (The uncovered portion of the skewers should not be over the coals.) Grill, turning frequently to prevent burning and basting with the reserved marinade, until the chicken is slightly charred, and the inside is white, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with Ponzu Sauce.
Yield: 9 to 12 skewers
• Ponzu Sauce Recipe
Recipe Source: Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu (William Morrow)
Reprinted with permission.
