Julia's Japanese BBQ Skewers + Simple Summer Salad

Summer entertaining should be, in my opinion, fairly low fuss and easy to put together — fun yet relaxed.

These Japanese skewers tick all of those boxes. Here, I’ve suggested two different skewers, pork and spring onion (butakushi) and chicken (yakitori).

When we go to Japan, we visit one of our favourite yakitori spots in Tokyo. The chefs stand over charcoal grills with a fan in hand, ensuring the heat stays at just the right temperature, turning the skewers at a mesmerising pace. In summer, I love to drink Kabosu sours there and try one or two of everything on the menu. Although they never taste as good as theirs, making them at home is really simple and lovely.

Besides soaking the bamboo skewers in advance (to stop them burning while cooking), it is really so quick to make and is a great thing to prepare in advance and then just cook as you eat.

I make a simple tare (glaze) for the skewers, which is brushed on them as they cook, giving them a wonderful sweet and salty taste, plus slight caramelisation. I like to serve them with a simple cabbage salad as well as steamed rice and yuzu kosho (a paste made from chilli and yuzu).

Butakushi + Yakitori (Japanese Pork + Chicken Skewers)

(Serves 4-6)

500g skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces
500g boneless pork belly, rashers, cut into 2cm pieces
4 spring onions, white and light green parts only, cut into 2cm lengths

Tare

100ml soy sauce
100ml mirin
50ml sake
50g caster sugar
2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, to serve

Cabbage and cucumber salad

¼ white cabbage, finely shredded
2 Lebanese cucumbers, finely sliced
4 spring onions, green parts, finely sliced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper, to serve

Steamed medium grain rice (such as Koshihikari), to serve
Yuzu kosho, to serve

Method: 

The night before, soak bamboo skewers in cold water.

Make the tare by combining all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened then set aside.

Thread the bamboo skewers with the chicken, set aside. Thread the spring onion and pork belly on skewers in an alternating pattern.

For the salad, combine all ingredients in a bowl, toss to coat and season to taste. Set aside.

Heat a grill or charcoal barbeque over medium-high heat and cook the skewers, brushing them with the tare as they cook. Turn them frequently, brushing each time. Cook until golden and just cooked through — around 5-6 minutes for the chicken and 4-5 minutes for the pork.

Serve the butakushi and yakitori with the salad, steamed rice and yuzu kosho.

What else I’m cooking: Simple galettes made with ripe summer tomatoes and an olive tapenade on the base.

What else I’m eating:  The cheeseburger at Goldy’s in Clifton Hill!