Japanese cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Nankotsu Kushiyaki

Crunchy chicken cartilage skewers, seasoned only with salt and grilled crisp over high heat.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g chicken cartilage (breastbone cartilage)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp shichimi togarashi (or chili flakes)
• 1 lemon
• 12 wooden skewers

Instructions

1. Soak the wooden skewers in water for 20 min. so they don't burn on the grill, and rinse the cartilage under cold water and pat very thoroughly dry.
2. Mix the cartilage with sake and sesame oil and let sit for 10 min.; cut the spring onions into 3 cm pieces.
3. Thread cartilage and spring onion pieces alternately and firmly onto the skewers, about five pieces per skewer.
4. Sprinkle the skewers with the coarse sea salt and pepper only shortly before grilling – salting too early draws out water.
5. Grill over strong embers or under the preheated oven grill 4–5 min. per side until the cartilage shows light brown blisters on the outside and crunches when bitten into.
6. Dust hot with shichimi togarashi and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.