Episode Two: Teriyaki Nights

Welcome back to Nippon in my kitchen, I'm your hostess with the mostess! =D Today's post will be concentrated around Teriyaki sauce and the most common items found in the Japanese kitchen to make this type of sauce, and then my bento for today.

M'kay lets get started on this picture to the left, from the left to the right: Sugar, Soy Sauce, and Aji Mirin. These items are used to make Teriyaki sauce for chicken thighs, but you can use any part of the bird or even pork, beef, or whatever protein you wish to use. I found that I prefer to sometimes mix in this marinade with my protein or to use it as a glaze, or even to use it as a marinade only and throw away the rest.

The next picture is a cheap bottle of rice wine, let me tell you I don't like cooking with certain cheap things but this style of rice wine is something I would drink a glass of. Never use any kind of wine, rum, or beer you won't drink a glass of in food; always taste before you add other wise it will not taste right.

Granted some cheap wines are good to cook with, but the best is the bottle of alcohol you pay a arm and a leg for.

1 tbsp each Mirin and Soy Sauce
1 tsp sugar

Dissolve sugar in soy sauce and Mirin mixture, you can either put your meat in or mix up the marinade in your meat. Either way it will turn out tasty.

What I did was made a sauce in a pan, turning the stove up to high for five minutes before adding 3 tbsps of water. Kept it on high for another three to five minutes and tested it with a spatula to make sure it was nape; that means the sauce sticks to the spatula and when you run your finger down the middle if the liquid stays where it is its thick enough.

I did some chicken meat balls, chicken meat patties, and some oblong pieces cause I like different shapes. This picture is the before where I shaped everything out, though it was a little gooey it was fun to make. Used two chicken breasts, 3 pieces wheat bred, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1/2 tbsp ground mustard, and the Teriyaki sauce recipe from my bento book.

This is the after picture, I basted the chicken pieces with the Teriyaki sauce once and let them be for a few more moments before I took them out. Turns out these guys tasted like chicken sausage! =D Yummeh!

Okay, now for my bento of the day, using three chicken balls, a few pieces of sharp white cheddar for the bottom portion.

The top has half a tier of rice and the other half has a veggie mixture of cucumber, carrots, and celery with two tbsps of Italian salad dressing and a dusting of parm cheese.

Today was an adventure in the kitchen, learning a little about the culture and how we can make our own little twists on classics. I hope you had fun today cause I sure did! =D

Join me next time in Nippon in my kitchen, Cutlets make an appearance and perhaps even a small dessert.

See you next time! =D