It’s a laid back Sunday for us. Bypassing breakfast, we went straight to lunch. A simple meal was in order. After days of eating restaurant food, this one seemed necessary. I very quickly picked a few things from the garden. (By the way, it’s looking like a jungle out there.)
Back inside, I rinsed, chopped, blanched, and tossed. Sabo grilled skewered chicken on the deck.
Do you see repeating pattern?
We ate our lunch quietly, missing our visitors but were glad that hectic daily schedule was behind us. Next week, school starts. And most likely, hectic schedule will resume. But for now, we’re enjoying a quiet relaxing day, 2 parents and 2 children. It’s quite perfect. I wouldn’t mind for this day to repeat.
Grilled Skewered Chicken (Yakitori)
A staple in our house, yakitori seems to get our kids excited to eat. Is it because of the bite-sized pieces or is it because of the skewers? I suspect both aspects make this dish very appealing to the very young.
Boneless chicken thighs or breast, cut up into 1 inch cubes (about 2 lbs)
Green onions, cut up into 1 inch sticks
For the sauce
5 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp sake (I used white wine instead)
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Set aside 1 tbsp of sauce, to drizzle over chicken prior to serving.
1. Soak the bamboo skewers in warm water for 1 hour prior to using.
2. Soak green onions in cold water for 1 hour prior to grilling.
3. Dip chicken pieces in the sauce and thread on to skewers, alternating chicken pieces with the green onions.
4. Grill on medium heat, brushing chicken with the remainder of the sauce frequently.
5. Drizzle more sauce over chicken prior to serving.
Green Beans Goma Ae
Goma ae is a Japanese dish made of vegetables and sesame seeds dressing. Goma means sesame. Most of the time, spinach is used, although any variety of vegetables can be used.
Green beans, trimmed and cut, about 3 cups
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dashi soup stock
1. Boil green beans for 2-3 minutes or until desired softness is reached.
2. Remove beans and soak in ice-cold water to stop the cooking process, then drain well.
4. Put toasted sesame seeds in a mortar and grind them with a pestle.
5. Add sugar, soy sauce, and dashi stock. Mix to form a paste.
6. Toss green beans with the sesame paste/dressing.
The Novice Gardener 