Contrary to the much prevailing opinion that Japanese food looks so exquisite to eat and too difficult to cook, numerous dishes can be prepared easily without following any hard and fast rule.
I have learned during my Japanese cooking classes that some flavours, tapestry of textures, colour, and methods distinguish Japanese cooking from other exotic cuisines.
Strong-tasting seasoning and highly-flavoured sauces are not mostly used; still dishes look extravagant and taste sensational.
Apart from sushi and tempura, ‘teriyaki chicken’ is another very popular dish among non-Japanese cultures. However, the fact is most people still don’t fully understand the term ‘teriyaki style'.
Teriyaki is derived from two Japanese words; 'teri', which means glossy and lustrous, and 'yaki', which means grilling.
The technique requires broiling or grilling of meat in a dense, sweet shoyu (soy sauce) marinade.
This recipe shows you an easy method to cook your own homemade teriyaki sauce without the addition of traditional Japanese mirin and sake (rice wine).
I have used fruit juice and lemon juice as non-alcoholic substitutes for mirin. You will be pleased with its sour, salty and sweet flavour.
Serving stir-fried vegetables will certainly add vibrant colour to your dish.
Here’s how to prepare this exotic dish:
Ingredients:
4 chicken boneless breast fillets
1 green bell pepper, deseeded, cut into julienne strips
1 eggplant cut into strips
2-3 scallions (green onion), halved lengthwise
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt to taste
Photo: Tanveer Khadim
Photo: Tanveer Khadim
Photo: Tanveer Khadim
Teriyaki marinade:
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup water
Ginger grated 1 tsp, heaped
Garlic grated 1 tsp, heaped
Lemon juice 3 tbsp
Brown sugar 8 tbsp
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Cornstarch 2 tbsp, dissolved in 3-4 tbsp of water
Photo: Tanveer Khadim
Method:
Marinate chicken with salt and black pepper and set aside for 15 minutes.
Grill chicken fillets on both sides till tender and golden brown.
Photo: Tanveer Khadim
Mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl.
Cook marinade on medium flame for 8-10 minutes.
Add cornstarch paste in sauce; stir continuously till it becomes thick.
Quickly stir-fry all vegetables.
Cut the grilled fillets in long diagonal strips.
Arrange chicken strips in a dish and pour sauce over them.
Serve hot with vegetables and steamed rice.
Tips:
You can use apple juice instead of pineapple juice.
For a more tangy sauce, use vinegar in place of lemon juice.
Select low-sodium soy sauce to contain salt content.
For a spicy taste, add a good pinch of black pepper in marinade.
Leek and zucchini can be added in vegetables.
Enjoy your tasty and mouth-watering homemade Japanese dish that looks as delicate as it tastes.
Bon appétit!
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