Japan - Chicken Yakitori

Yet another recipe from the 2010 FIFA World Cup Menu - Week 1. This is beyond simple, perfect for the barbecue and super healthy. You can serve these tasty skewers with brown rice, whole wheat spaghetti or soba noodles. Or for a super light meal, serve them a bed of lettuce leaves.

This recipe calls for mirin which can be hard to find. Mirin is a sweet rice wine. If you can't find it use a mixture of 2/3 rice vinegar, 1/3 water and a bit of sugar. You are looking for a sweet tangy taste.

Chicken Yakitori
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 1 tbsp sugar (even if you use the mirin substitute listed above, add this amount in addition to what you put in the vinegar mix)
• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 8 shitake mushrooms
• 8 green onions, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 each, red and green pepper cut into 1 inch chunks

Instructions:

1. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes
2. In a saucepan, mix soy, mirin and sugar.
3. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and let cool
4. Heat the barbecue or broiler to high
5. Thread the chicken, mushrooms, green onions and peppers onto the shewers
6. Brush the skewers with the sauce and barbecue or broil, turning until cooked through.
7. Baste with the sauce as you turn the skewers
8. Serve over rice or noodles with the leftover sauce.

Enjoy! So far the Japanese have won their first game on foreign soil in the World Cup!