The great classic of Japanese izakayas and yakitori counters: strips of chicken neck threaded in an accordion shape onto bamboo skewers, seared over high heat until the skin is crispy and golden, enhanced with a veil of sea salt and a dash of fresh lemon juice squeezed right before serving.
Ingredients
- 600 g raw boneless chicken neck meat
- 2 tbsp Japanese cooking sake with no added salt
- 1 tsp unrefined fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 2 pieces fresh untreated lemon
- 1 tsp Japanese seven spice blend shichimi togarashi
Method
- Submerge bamboo skewers in cold water for at least thirty minutes to prevent them from burning or blackening upon direct contact with heat.
- Carefully pat the chicken neck meat dry on paper towels to remove any surface moisture, then check the cuts by removing any small remnants of cartilage.
- Place the chicken neck strips in a bowl, drizzle with Japanese cooking sake and massage gently for one minute to relax the meat, then let rest for ten minutes at room temperature.
- Thread the chicken neck pieces onto the drained bamboo skewers, folding the meat in a tight accordion shape to obtain compact, even and well-secured skewers.
- Heat a cast iron grill pan or light your charcoal grill over very high heat until the cooking surface becomes smoking hot and radiates intense heat.
- Evenly sprinkle the unrefined fine sea salt and ground white pepper over all sides of the skewers, holding your hand high above the meat, just seconds before cooking.
- Place the skewers on the hot grill without letting them touch one another. Let them grill without moving them for three to four minutes, until the fat sizzles loudly and the bottom surface shows clear, deep golden grill marks.
- Flip the skewers using tongs and continue cooking on the second side for two to three minutes, until the meat is firm and bouncy to the touch and crispy on the edges.
- Remove the skewers and let them rest for two minutes on a warm platter so the internal juices can stabilize.
- Cut the lemons into neat wedges, removing the seeds. Serve the skewers piping hot with the lemon wedges to squeeze generously just before eating, and offer the Japanese seven spice blend shichimi togarashi on the side.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 195.9 kcal
- Protein
- 35.74 g
- Carbohydrate
- 6.71 g
- Fat
- 2.52 g
- Fibre
- 2.15 g
- Calcium
- 8.26 mg
- Iron
- 0.18 mg
- Magnesium
- 5.3 mg
