Yakitori Negima

Ingredients

• 700g boneless chicken thigh, skin on
• 3 Japanese leeks or 6 fat spring onions
• 150ml soy sauce
• 150ml mirin
• 80ml sake
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 chicken wings or a few chicken bones, for the tare
• 1 spring onion top and 2 slices ginger, for the tare
• 16 bamboo skewers
• Sansho pepper or shichimi togarashi, to serve
• Flaky salt

Before you cook

• Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes so they do not burn.
• Cut the chicken thigh into pieces about 3cm square, keeping the skin on each piece.
• Cut the white part of the leeks into 3cm lengths.
• Set the chicken and leek out on separate trays.

Steps

1. Grill or dry-fry the chicken wings in a small saucepan over high heat until they are well browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
2. Pour the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar into the pan with the wings, and add the spring onion top and ginger slices.
3. Bring the tare to a boil, then turn it down and simmer for 20 minutes until it has reduced by about a third and coats a spoon thinly.
4. Strain the tare into a tall narrow jug and let it cool while you build the skewers.
5. Thread a piece of chicken onto a skewer, pushing it down so the skin faces out along one side.
6. Add a length of leek, then another piece of chicken, continuing until each skewer holds three chicken pieces and two leeks.
7. Season the finished skewers lightly with flaky salt on both sides.
8. Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are covered in grey ash, or set a ridged griddle pan over high heat until it smokes.
9. Lay the skewers over the heat with the wooden handles hanging off the edge, and grill for 3 minutes without moving them.
10. Turn the skewers and grill the second side for 3 minutes, until the chicken is opaque and the leek is blistered.
11. Dip a skewer fully into the jug of tare, let it drip, and return it to the grill for 45 seconds until the glaze bubbles and darkens.
12. Repeat the dip and grill twice more on each skewer so the coating builds up in thin lacquered layers.
13. Pile the skewers onto a plate and serve with sansho pepper or shichimi for shaking over.