Yakitori- grilled chicken on a stick. Yaki means to cook over direct heat while tori refers to a bird, in this case, chicken. Yakitori has long been a popular Japanese dish. While one might argue that the history of yakitori doesn’t stretch very far back, it is actually believed that this popular dish dates back to the Edo period (1603-1867).
During that time, enterprising vendors had the bright idea of grilling seasoned innards of chicken as affordable and easy to eat snacks. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), the supply of chickens greatly increased and it was then that yakitori experienced a sudden boom in popularity.
Street stalls began popping up everywhere and soon the smell of grilled meat on skewers wafted throughout the streets, the aroma calling to hungry stomachs everywhere. As vendors used offal in the beginning, which was relatively inexpensive, it appealed to those on a budget. Since touching meat then was still considered taboo, skewers were used, so it was also convenient to consume these street fare where there were seldom tables and chairs.
These vendors also used binchotan coal which served a dual purpose. The high heat it could achieve locked in the juiciness of the meat while grilling, and the strong smell of the burning coal infused the tender morsels of meat with a pleasant smoky aroma instead. Basted with a sweet and savoury sauce during this grilling process, yakitori was indeed a very affordable and delicious street food for the hungry man.
Nowadays, you can easily make your own yakitori at home, where the meat you skewer is no longer limited to chicken, but limited only by your imagination. Because with Obento
Yakitori Sauce, made from Japanese soy sauce, fermented rice seasoning, sugar and salt, you will be able to recreate that distinct authentic Japanese flair to your skewers, and even use it to create other yakitori dishes.
Yakitori is also the perfect appetiser or snack to go with alcohol and at the end of a hard working day, the typical Japanese worker can be seen downing ice cold beers or sake at establishments called Izakaya. Izakaya, which loosely translated means a “stay and drink place”, is the western equivalent of a happy hour venue. The dining experience at such a premise is usually to try an assortment of different food along with your drinks, such as the earlier mentioned yakitori, sushi, sashimi, tofu, nabe and many other local favourites.
If you want to recreate the experience of an Izakaya at home with your yakitori and some alcoholic drinks, don’t forget to use Obento Ponzu Sauce and Obento Teriyaki Marinades as well to cook up some other tantalising dishes too.
A savoury sauce with a zesty tang, Obento Ponzu sauce balances the umami soy sauce flavour with lemon juice and Yuzu citrus, giving your appetisers a mouthwatering appeal. Use it with tofu, meats and stir-fries.
Obento Teriyaki Marinade on the other hand, is a sweet Japanese sauce used to marinate meats and is made from soy sauce, mirin, sugar, corn starch, spices and concentrated fruit juice. This marinade works well with beef, chicken, salmon and even scallops.
With Obento Yakitori Sauce, Obento Ponzu Sauce and Obento Teriyaki Marinade, you can easily make your own “stay, drink place” appetisers at home in future, for your own special Japanese style happy hour.
About Obento
Obento is one of the leading Japanese food brands that has been in the Australian supermarkets since 2002. They provide authentic Japanese flavours to everyone with its comprehensive range of food products. From a complete range of the Japanese staple condiments including mirin seasoning, cooking sake, rice wine vinegar, yakitori sauce, ponzu sauce, sushi & sashimi soy sauce, sushi seasoning, to other foodstuff and ingredients such as panko breadcrumbs, tempura mix, a variety of noodles, yaki nori seaweed, sushi rice, sushi kit and more! To discover what other Obento products are on the shelves, do check them out at your local supermarket.