Yakitori chicken skewers with rice salad

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
Skewers
3 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine or double the mirin)
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 cm (½ inch) ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
750 g chicken thigh or breast, cut into 4 cm pieces
4 spring onions or baby leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into 3 cm
pieces
16 short bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
shichimi togarashi (optional, if your kids can handle the heat)

Fragrant rice salad
1 cup jasmine rice
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ Chinese cabbage (wombok), finely shredded
2 spring onions, thinly sliced (optional with kids)
2 carrots, peeled and grated or sliced into noodles using a mandoline or spiralizer
4 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar (or brown)
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ bunch mint, roughly chopped (optional with kids)

METHOD

1. To make yakitori marinade, place tamari, maple syrup, sake, mirin, ginger and garlic in medium bowl and stir until combined. Add chicken, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Divide rice salad (or just steamed rice) and skewers between plates.

3. To make the fragrant rice salad, start by steaming the rice. Place the rice and 1 ½ cups cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 10–12 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Set aside to cool.

4. Thread chicken pieces and spring onion, lengthwise and alternately, onto soaked skewers. Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue to medium-high. Add skewers in batches, turning and basting with reserved marinade occasionally. Cook for 4 minutes or until just cooked through.

5. Put the rice in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, spring onion and carrot and toss to combine. Combine the vinegar, sugar, tamari, sesame oil and olive oil in a jar and shake vigorously. Pour over salad, add mint and toss to combine.

6. Divide rice salad (or just steamed rice) and skewers between plates.