Mandarin Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Crispy Chicken Fat Rice

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

500g chicken thigh, skin-on

1 cup jasmine rice

Pickled ginger

For the marinade/sauce

60ml sake

60ml mirin

125ml soy sauce

55gm caster sugar

2cm piece ginger

1 mandarin, zested & juiced

Bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water to prevent burning during cooking

Method

To make the marinade, place all ingredients except chicken into a small saucepan and bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar then turn down to a simmer and reduce by half. Strain & cool.

Remove the skin from the chicken & reserve for the rice. Cut the chicken into pieces about the size of the first piece of your thumb. Mix with some of the marinade reserving 60ml for brushing while cooking. Place chicken covered in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Thread the chicken onto the skewers and then cook for about 4 minutes on either side brushing with the reserved marinade from time to time. You are looking for the chicken to be cooked and have some charred bits on it.

To make the rice: Cut the chicken skin into small pieces. Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and add the chicken skin. Cook the chicken skin, stirring occasionally until the fat has rendered out and the skin becomes golden and crispy. Add the rice and stir to coat with the fat. Add 1¼ cup of water and a good pinch of salt then bring to the boil.

Turn down to a simmer then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Once cooked, remove the lid and then continue to cook on the lowest setting possible for another 10 minutes to allow the rice on the bottom of the pan to become golden and crispy.

To serve, scrape the crispy rice off the bottom of the saucepan and make sure to include some with rice in each bowl. Top with the yakitori and serve with some pickled ginger on the side.