THIS week we travel all the way to Japan for one of the world’s favourite oriental dishes.
We know sushi quickly springs to mind whenever we think of Japanese delicacies.
But so much more originates from the Land of the Rising Sun.
You will agree, we believe, after trying out teriyaki chicken.
Teriyaki is basically a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine in which foods are broiled or grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade.
The word teriyaki comes from the noun “teri” which refers to a shine or lustre given by the sugar content in the sweet soy sauce marinade, while “yaki” refers to the cooking method of grilling or broiling.
The meat is dipped in or brushed with sauce several times before and during cooking.
The marinade is traditionally made by mixing and heating soy sauce, sake or mirin and sugar or honey.
The sauce is boiled and reduced to the desired thickness, then used to marinate meat which is then grilled or broiled.
Sometimes ginger is added, and the final dish may be garnished with green onions.
With us here or in any other non-Japanese cultures, any dish made with a teriyaki-like sauce, or with added ingredients such as sesame or garlic, is described as teriyaki.
Uncanned pineapple juice is sometimes used as it not only provides sweetness but also bromelain enzymes that help tenderise the meat.
Grilling the meat first and pouring the sauce on afterward is another non-traditional method of cooking teriyaki.
You will realise mirin – the Japanese sweet rice wine used in teriyaki sauce – is essential in Japanese cuisine.
But do not worry if you can’t find it in our local shops.
When a recipe requires mirin and you can’t get it, you can substitute it with a combination of acidic and sweet flavours.
Simply add between one and two tablespoons of sugar to half-a-cup of white wine or dry sherry to replace half-a-cup of mirin.
But we can always enjoy other simpler teriyaki recipes by substituting most of the traditional Japanese ingredients.
Now, let’s get into our real business of the day: we have Brian Turner’s teriyaki chicken recipe from www.bbc.co.uk to try out:
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 4 tbsp clear honey
- 4 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 chicken thighs, bone removed, sliced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- knob of butter
Method
- Place the Tabasco sauce, honey, sesame oil and soy sauce into a bowl and mix well. Place the chicken slices into the bowl, stir well to coat and leave to marinate for five minutes.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Remove the chicken slices from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and fry for three to four minutes on each side, or until completely cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to keep warm.
- Pour the marinade into the pan and boil rapidly for a few minutes until slightly reduced. Add the butter and whisk until the sauce becomes glossy.
- To serve, place the chicken slices onto a plate and pour over the sauce from the pan. Serve with rice.