Kushiyaki Recipe

Soak skewers

Place wooden skewers in water to soak for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning while grilling.

Make marinade / tare

In a medium bowl or small saucepan combine soy sauce (120 ml), mirin (60 ml), sake (60 ml), brown sugar (2 tbs), grated ginger (1 tbs) and minced garlic (2 tsp). Stir to dissolve sugar. Optionally, bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes to meld flavors and slightly reduce, then cool. Reserve 60–80 ml for finishing glaze and set 120–150 ml aside for marinating proteins.

Prepare proteins

Pat steak and chicken dry. Cut steak into 2–2.5 cm (3/4–1 in) cubes. Cut chicken thighs into similar 2–2.5 cm cubes. If shrimp are large, leave whole; if medium, keep whole as well. Season all pieces lightly with black pepper (1 tsp).

Marinate proteins

Place steak cubes in one bowl and chicken cubes in another. Add about 60–75 ml of the marinade to each bowl (do not over-marinate). Toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate: chicken 20–30 minutes, steak 15–20 minutes. Do not marinate shrimp longer than 10 minutes to avoid toughening — toss shrimp with a tablespoon of the marinade just before skewering.

Prepare vegetables

Cut red bell pepper into 2–3 cm squares. Slice zucchini into 0.7–1 cm thick rounds or half-moons. Trim green onions into 4–5 cm lengths. These will be used between proteins on skewers for presentation and moisture.

Thread proteins and vegetables onto soaked skewers. For even cooking, place similar-size items together. Suggested configurations (about 12 skewers): - Steak skewers: 8–9 steak cubes per skewer alternating with scallion pieces (4 skewers). - Chicken skewers: 6–7 chicken cubes per skewer alternating with bell pepper or zucchini (4 skewers). - Shrimp skewers: 4–6 shrimp per skewer, optionally alternating with scallion or small zucchini pieces (4 skewers). Leave a small space at each end of the skewer for easy handling.

Brush assembled skewers lightly with neutral oil (2 tbs) to prevent sticking to grill.

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high (approx. 200–230°C / 400–450°F). Oil the grill grates or pan lightly.

Place skewers on the hot grill. Cook steak skewers about 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium (depending on cube size), turning to get even char. Chicken skewers should cook 3–4 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Shrimp skewers cook quickly: 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque and just curled.

During the last 2–4 minutes of cooking, brush reserved tare/glaze onto each skewer 2–3 times, allowing it to caramelize briefly between coats but avoiding burning. Rotate and glaze until a shiny lacquer forms.

If using a broiler instead of a grill, place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil 6–10 minutes, turning and glazing once or twice, watching closely to avoid burning.

Remove skewers from heat and rest for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (1 tbs) and serve with lemon wedges (4 pieces) for squeezing over shrimp and chicken or steak, and extra tare on the side for dipping.

Serve immediately while hot alongside steamed rice or a small salad. Leftover skewers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat gently on a grill or in a 180°C (350°F) oven until warmed through.