Grilling & Sautéing Part 2: Chicken Kuwayaki

Kuwayaki is said to be the original "teriyaki" dish, now loved all over the world. Chicken is first sautéed, then basted and glazed to a glossy sheen with a rich, sweet soy sauce.It is a satisfying main dish, and is well complemented by cooked white rice.

Chicken Kuwayaki [Ingredients] *Serves 2 300 g chicken thighs Potato starch 1 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp sake 3 tbsp mirin 2 tbsp soy sauce 1/2 bunch spinach Boiling water Salt White sesame seeds Powdered sansho pepper [Method] 1. Pierce the chicken skin with a fork and trim off the excess fat. Place the chicken skin-side down and cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle the tray with salt, lay the chicken pieces on top, and sprinkle them with salt again. After about 5 minutes, after water begins to seep out, pat the chicken dry. 2. Combine the sake, mirin, and soy sauce in a bowl and marinate the chicken pieces in it. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for 10 minutes total. (After 5 minutes have passed, turn the pieces in the bowl.) 3. Allow the chicken to drain naturally in a sieve, and then sprinkle evenly with the potato starch. 4. Sauté the chicken on both sides, then pour in the sauce over it (and flip chicken) to coat. Be careful not to scorch it. Sprinkle with the powdered sansho pepper, and it is finished! 5. For the spinach garnish, make a cross cut on the bottom of each root. Plunge the bottom part first into salted boiling water. After 5 seconds, plunge the leaves into the water. When the water returns to a boil, take the spinach out and plunge them into an ice bath. Lay the spinach out onto a bamboo mat, alternating the leaf-end and the root-ends. Squeeze out excess water and cut into 3 to 4 cm thick rounds. Decorate each with sesame seeds and press to adhere. <For Arranging> Chicken Kuwayaki and Eggs [Ingredients] *Serves 2 300g Chicken kuwayaki 1/2 bunch boiled spinach 1/2 onion 2 eggs