Charcoal Yakitori Duo: Salt Negima and Tsukune

Method

1. Soak the bamboo skewers in water. Light the charcoal and wait 25 min, until all of it is covered in white ash. Bank two thirds of the coals on one side, 3 layers deep, as a hot zone, and spread the rest thinly on the other side so it settles to charcoal (medium heat). This two-zone fire lets you sear on one side and cook through gently on the other.

   charcoal (medium heat)

2. Make the tsukune: put the ground chicken, spring onion, ginger, potato starch and salt in a bowl and knead firmly by hand for 2 min, until the mixture turns pale and sticky and clings to your fingers; that stickiness is what holds it on the skewer. Chill it in the cooler for 15 minutes. With wet hands, divide it into 4 portions and press each around a skewer into an even sausage 8 to 10 cm long and 2.5 cm thick.

   Add in this stepGround chicken (thigh if possible) 200 gSpring onion, finely chopped 20 gFresh ginger, grated 1 tspPotato starch 2 tspSalt (for the tsukune) 1 pinch

3. Trim the loose skin and pieces of fat from the edges of the thighs and set them aside for the tare. Cut the thighs into 3 cm pieces and the leek into 3 cm lengths and thread them alternately onto 4 skewers, packed tightly with no gaps. Wash your hands and board after handling raw chicken.

   Add in this stepBoneless chicken thigh, skin on 200 gJapanese leek (negi), white part 1

4. Make the tare: put the skin trimmings in a 14 cm small dry pot over medium heat and cook for 4 min, stirring, until golden and crisp and the fat has melted out. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the fat. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar (stand back, it spits), turn to medium-low heat and simmer for 7 min, until reduced by a third and syrupy, then lift out the skin. This roasted-chicken depth is how yakitori bars build their tare. Pour some into a tall cup for dipping.

   Add in this stepSoy sauce 4 tbspMirin 4 tbspCooking sake 2 tbspSugar 1½ tbsp

   medium heat→medium-low heat

5. Just before grilling, sprinkle the salt evenly over every side of the negima from about 30 cm above. Sear over the hot zone for 1 minute per side, then move to charcoal (medium heat) and grill for 6 min, turning every minute, until firm with clear juices and crisp skin (75 °C in the centre). Squeeze over the lemon and add sansho pepper to taste.

   Add in this stepCoarse sea salt, finely crushed 2 gLemon ¼Sansho pepper to taste

   charcoal (medium heat)

6. Lay the tsukune on the charcoal (medium heat) side and leave them alone for 2 minutes so the bottoms set and release cleanly, then grill for 8 min, turning gently, until firm and springy when pressed (75 °C in the centre). Dip or brush them with tare and grill for 30 seconds per side, 3 times over 3 min, until lacquered. Give each person a raw yolk in a small dish for dipping, with shichimi to taste.

   Add in this stepEggs (yolks only, very fresh) 2Shichimi togarashi to taste

   charcoal (medium heat)