Pops De Milk

It’s been a few days since I made a semi-decent dinner for Jay and myself. I’ve been either busy or battling with extreme bouts of laziness that have me scrambling for Pizza Pops and instant noodles when hunger strikes.

Today, however, the laziness that had been plaguing my free time finally went on vacation. I decided to wipe the dust off a Japanese cookbook my dad got me for Christmas last year and found a recipe I could make. This is the first time I actually used the book and I’m so glad the meal turned out simply fabulous.

I know chicken teriyaki shouldn’t be the first thing to make out of all the other exotic dishes displayed in the book but I’m not as familiar with Japanese cooking as I am with Indian cooking. I enjoy eating Japanese food at restaurants and that’s where my expertise ends. I hope that with time and tons of practice that will change.

And now, without further ado, here is the recipe for (probably) the easiest dish in The Joy of Japanese Cooking by Kuwako Takahashi.

Chicken Teriyaki, 4 servings

1 broiler chicken cut, 2.5-3lbs

Teriyaki glaze (recipe to follow)

Prick the skin of the chicken all over with a fork. Place in a bowl and pour the uncooked teriyaki glaze over. Let it stand for 1 to 2 hours. Drain the sauce into a sauce pan. Reduce the sauce by boiling until it is half the original amount. BBQ or broil the chicken. Since the marinade makes chicken brown faster, broil 7″ from the heat at 450F until nicely browned. Turn and broil the other side for 5 minutes. Turn again and bake at 300F for 15 minutes, basting with the glaze two or three times.

Teriyaki glaze, Tokyo Style (Kanto Area):

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup mirin – substitute for mirin: Sake or sherry with 3 tablespoons of sugar.

I didn’t know what a broiler chicken was so I just bought a package of skinless, boneless chicken thighs. For the glaze I used dry sherry and Kikkoman soy sauce. I also noticed while cooking the glaze that it wasn’t as sticky as the version I eat in restaurants, but the taste was amazing. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be sticky and thick?

I served the chicken over Calrose rice and I spooned more marinade over that. Jay’s reaction: “This is the best teriyaki I’ve ever had and I don’t even like teriyaki that much…until now!”