Yakitori

Yakitori being grilled

Yakitori (焼き鳥/やきとり/ヤキトリ), grilled chicken, is commonly a Japanese type of skewered chicken. The term "Yakitori" can also refer to skewered food in general. Kushiyaki (skewer grilled), is a formal term that encompasses both poultry and non-poultry items, skewered and grilled. Both Yakitori and Kushiyaki mean the same, so the terms are used interchangeably in Japanese society.

The average yakitori is made from several bite-sized pieces of chicken meat, or chicken offal, skewered on a bamboo skewer and grilled, usually over charcoal.

Diners ordering yakitori usually have a choice of having it cooked with salt (shio) or with tare sauce, which is generally made up of mirin, sake, soy sauce and sugar. The sauce is applied to the skewered meat and is grilled until delicately cooked.

• hāto (ハート) or kokoro (こころ), chicken heart
• rebā (レバー), liver
• sunagimo (砂肝), or zuri (ずり) chicken gizzard
• tsukune (つくね), chicken meatballs
• (tori)kawa ((とり)かわ) chicken skin, grilled until crispy
• tebasaki (手羽先), chicken wing
• bonjiri (ぼんじり), chicken tail
• shiro (シロ),　chicken small intestines
• nankotsu (なんこつ), chicken cartilage
• toriniku, all white meat on skewer

Common non-poultry dishes

• ikada (筏) (lit. raft), Japanese scallion, with two skewers to prevent rotation
• gyūtan (牛タン), beef tongue, sliced thinly
• atsuage tōfu (厚揚げとうふ), deep-fried tofu
• enoki maki (エノキ巻き), enoki mushrooms wrapped in slices of pork
• pīman (ピーマン), green pepper
• asuparabēkon (アスパラベーコン), asparagus wrapped in bacon
• butabara (豚ばら), pork belly
• ninniku (にんにく）garlic

See also

• Japanese cuisine
• Skewer
• Satay
• Brochette

External links

• Japan Guide
• Everyday Japanese Cuisine