LIFESTYLES

Discover Japanese food

BRIAN’S BIGGEST con-
cern on our recent visit to
Japan was that he wouldn’t
like the food. I'm happy to
report that he enjoyed it —
well, at least most of it. His
firm dislike of rice is still in
place and he didn’: touch a
chopstick to any raw fish.

Now, a word about chopsticks.
Our first Japanese meal was a

beaters
Barbara McCreadie

traditional barbecue, in the
beautiful garden of our hotel —
the New Otani. There we were
given the option of forks.

After that, it was chopsticks or
starve. Fortunately. Japanese
chopsticks are easier to manipulate
than Chinese. First, t:... aren’t
polished wood so the grip .s better.
Second, they’re shorter so you've a
better chance to eat (he food in-
stead of wearing it.

Also, it’s quite acceptable to
raise your food bow! in the vicinity
of your chin. That saves your lap,
if not your face. Thank God for
the hot, damp towéls provided at
the table.

One of our favorite meals was
Yakitori — chicken grilled on
bamboo skewers. We had dinner
with some old friends from home,
now living in Japan. They took us
to a Yakitori specialty restaurant
where we had seven different
varieties. We could have sampled
perhaps 100.

1 managed to get a couple of the
recipes.

Chicken Yakitori with Asparagus
VY Ib. very thinly sticed chicken
cutlets
¥% tb. fresh asparagus (fat stalks)
¥2 cup soy sauce
VY cup saki or sherry
1 tablespoon sugar

Cut the chicken cutlets into
two-inch squares. Lightly steam
the asparagus until crisp-tender.
Blanch in cold water. Cut cooled
asparagus in two-inch iengths and
svrap with a chicken piece. Thread
on bamboo skewers — about five
to a skewer, Combine soy sauce,
sherry and sugar. Marinate the
chicken rolls in the sauce for about
an hour. Grill, turning often.

Note: Bamboo skewers should
be soaked for a few hours in cold
water before using. This keeps
them from catching fire on the
grill.

Yakitori Chicken Balls

Ya th. ground chicken
Vv medium onion,
chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
2% tablespoons sweet rice wine
(mirin) or sherry
2 tablespoons sey sauce
Tepe

If you have a food processor,
put Scerything into the bowl and
buzz to blend. This urakes very
fine textured chicken balls, Oither-
wise, mix inguedients by hand.
Chill. Form into one-inch balls and
chill again. ‘Thread on soaked
bamboo skewers -— about four to
a skewer, Grill, turning often until

very finely

well browned.

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The first part of this column was
written while | was floating across
the Pacific — [ got the recipes
from a Japanese lady, borrowed
the Captain's typewriter (the only

old-fashioned, mechanical one on
board) and got busy while Tokyo
was fresh in my mind.

Just home — we landed at
Ballantyne this morning, 1] haven’t
any more Japanese recipes that |
trust-until-l-try, except a few for

See Tempura
Page 38

37 - Wednesday, June 6, 1990 - North Shore News

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