Yakitori Hatsu
Yakitori is a generic word used to define skewered food in Japan; but that doesn’t mean that grilling is the method used for the cooking process as it can also be other cooking methods. Kushiyaki is the exact term for skewered and grilled meat. Chicken Yakitori became so famous that is why the term is now more tied to the grilled chicken meat variant. But in Japan there are a lot of variations of these lovely skewered meats, apart from chicken offal’s are used like “hatsu” chicken heart “reba”, liver; “sunagimo”, gizzard; “bonjiri”, chicken butt and “shiro”, intestines are also used. It is then flavoured depending on the diners’ choice which can be “shio” (salt) or “tare” a mix of mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar.
This is a really great dish that goes well with beer or sake, similar to the Philippine street barbecue Do you have the guts to eat those offal versions?
Ingredients
20 pcs chicken hearts
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sake
3 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cornstarch
Method
1. In a sauce pan mix together sugar, sake, mirin, soy sauce, ginger paste and cornstarch. Mix well until free of lumps then place on stove top, using high heat boil the mixture and simmer for a minute or until sauce thickens.
2. Season chicken heart with salt and pepper then place on skewers.
3. Grill chicken heart while brushing with soy sauce mixture occasionally.
4. Remove from grill then serve, enjoy with beer or sake.
It’s always such a pleasure to see a Japanese dish on your blog! (Especially one that I have never tasted or cooked.) I love chicken yakitori, I like chicken livers, but I have never had chicken hearts I think. They are easily available here and cheap, so I think it’s time to give them a go!
Looks really good…especially with that rich sauce brushed on the chicken. I really like chicken livers but I don’t think I’ve ever had hearts before. I’d try them!
Lovely color and so attractive although I don’t eat this part of the chicken.
I love the idea of the sauce but chicken hearts are not for me… do you think it works as well with regular chicken fillet?
Yup that works well with any meat
Looks wonderful as always! We Americans love our meat on a stick too!
people eat chicken feet (adidas), chicken head (helmet) and other weird parts also.. i’d like to stick with wings, thigh and my favorite breast as much as possible
I love the mouthwatering glaze!!
OMG that look soo good. It will taste scrumptious in a bowl of rice mixing in the mouthwatering sauce.
Raymund, it was a nice surprise to see Hatsu on your blog! Wow I have never cooked it at home! You are more Japanese than me!
Looks great. My husband will go crazy as he’s a huge Yakitori fan!
This dish looks amazingly delicious. I would also like to try Chicken Yakitori
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I happened to make chicken yakitori last night, as I have several times since getting a copy of _The Japanese Grill_ by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat, and I have some chicken hearts in the freezer to try next time. I’ll recommend that book to anyone interested in Japanese grilling.
Thanks for the tip!