Broiled and Pan-Fried Foods
(Yakimono)
Broiled Fish with Sesame Seeds
(Sakana no Gomayaki)
Here is a very simple but elegant way to prepare fish. Grilled fillets dipped in egg white and toasted sesame seeds are served with a delicious lemony sauce.
¼ cup white sesame seeds (goma)
1 pound firm fish fillets, cut into 1-inch slices
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons safflower oil
Watercress, trefoil (mitsuba), or parsley for garnish
Ponzu dipping sauce (p. 58)
1. Preheat broiler
2. In a preheated small skillet, toast the sesame seeds, using no oil, very lightly. Do not brown. Lift and shake pan frequently to avoid scorching.
3. In a lightly oiled baking dish, place the cut fillets skin side down and broil 2 minutes. Turn and broil 2 more minutes or until barely done.
4. Remove fish from baking pan and dip flesh side only into beaten egg white, then into toasted sesame seeds.
5. Return to pan and broil until sesame seeds are a golden brown.
6. Place in 4 individual bowls garnished with a sprig of watercress. Serve with small bowls of ponzu set at each diner's place.
| Yield: 4 servings | Cooking time: 10 minutes |
| Nutrient count does not include dipping sauce. | |
| Calories per serving: 185 | Total fat: 6 g |
| Saturated fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 4 g |
| Cholesterol: 60 mg | Sodium: 90 mg |
Skewered Chicken and Vegetables
(Yakitori)
Yakitori is a popular snack in Japan as well as a favorite appetizer. But it also makes an excellent meal. If I had to choose one dish that I would be happy to dine on most frequently, this would be it. It is perfect for an outdoor cookout on a hot summer day or broiled indoors at any time. Chicken livers are often grilled with the chicken, but I have left them out because of their high cholesterol count (Three ounces of liver contains 372 mg of cholesterol as compared to about 75 in 3 ounces of chicken without skin and fat.) The liver is said to be one of the animal's chief production sites for cholesterol, but if you are not on a strict low-cholesterol diet, one or two chicken livers can be included, not only for variety but also for their very high nutritional content of vitamins and iron.
36-40 bamboo skewers at least 8 inches long
11½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken, all fat removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
12 scallions cut into 2-inch lengths; use white part with some of the green
6 small Japanese eggplants, about 4-5 inches long
18 cherry tomatoes
18 whole mushrooms
2 tablespoons safflower oil for basting
Powdered sansho (Japanese pepper), or black pepper
Seven-spice mixture (shichimi togarashi)
Lemon wedges
4 green peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
Basting sauce:
½ cup saké
½ cup mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
To prepare:
1. Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour. Preheat broiler or start charcoal fire.
2. On each of 18 skewers, string 4 or 5 pieces of chicken alternated with 1-inch lengths of scallion.
3. To cook the eggplants, prick them in 3 or 4 places with a fork or a toothpick. Skewer them whole. Hold 2 skewers in a V position and insert them sideways into each eggplant. This will allow you to hold the eggplant securely in one hand.
4. String on skewers, in any order you wish, green pepper squares, tomatoes, and whole mushrooms.
To cook:
1. Start cooking eggplant first. Brush with oil and broil about 4-5 inches from fire until skin shrivels and eggplants get soft. This will take 15-20 minutes.
2. Using a small pastry brush, baste chicken with sauce and cook about 3 inches from heat for 5-8 minutes, basting and turning several times until the chicken is tender and brown. Do not overcook.
3. Brush the skewers of vegetables with oil and broil very briefly or just enough to lightly brown them and heat them through. If desired, you may brush them with the marinade.
4. Sprinkle sansho or seven-spice mixture to taste. Serve yakitori with boiled rice (p. 48) and vinegared cucumbers (p. 21).
| Yield: 6 servings, or 36 appetizers | Cooking time: About 20 minutes |
| Calories per serving: 420 | Total fat: 12 g |
| Saturated fat: 2.2 g | Polyunsaturated fat: 5.3 g |
| Cholesterol: 100 mg | Sodium: 220 mg |
Variation: Chunks of beef or fish, or whole shrimps may also be cooked in this way.
Soybean Curd with Miso Topping
(Tofu no Dengaku)
The soybean curd (tofu) in this recipe is traditionally grilled on skewers over an open fire and the white miso topping,is colored with ground green sansho leaves. But since it is fragile and difficult for the novice to handle, pan broiling or frying
