First of all, I apologize for the lack of posting! Last week I said I was going to post about something exciting that happened to me, but I never got around to it because I was struck down by one of the most awful illnesses I have yet experienced. The doctor I visited told me it was most likely gastroenteritis, and who knows what it was caused by. Our first guess would be food poisoning. Anyway, it lasted for 5 days, during which I lost over 10 pounds. I was really happy to be feeling better – it felt so strange to feel normal again, and when I was able to eat again, the food tasted so flavorful and strong. It’s now been 7 days since the illness began and it’s great to have all that behind me.
The exciting announcement post is still forthcoming – I’m nowhere near completing it. In the meantime, I’ll share this recipe from Donna Hay with you. It’s chicken yakitori with cucumber salad – a really easy Japanese-inspired dish that you could whip up on a weeknight.
Mirin, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil make this really flavorful and delicious. And as long as you have a mandolin slicer you can make pretty ribbons of cucumber as well!
You may read the recipe and look back at the picture only to realize that there is no wasabi on my plate. I cannot eat wasabi, it is way too hot for my taste!
Chicken Yakitori With Cucumber Salad
Adapted from Donna Hay Magazine, issue 53
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 160g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and chopped
3 green onions (scallions), chopped in 3cm lengths
wasabi, to serve
Cucumber Salad
1/4 cup (60ml) rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon miron
2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes
Method
Place the soy sauce, mirin and maple syrup in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken and green onion and toss to coat. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes to marinate.
To make the cucumber salad, place the vinegar, vegetable and sesame oil, mirin and cucumber in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Thread the chicken and green onion onto skewers, reserving the marinade. Heat a char-grill pan or barbecue over high heat and char-grill or barbecue the skewers for 3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over high heat and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through and thickened slightly. Serve the chicken with the cucumber salad, yakitori marinade and wasabi.
love your presentation! glad you’re feeling better and cant wait till your secret post!
Wow, 10 pounds in 5 days?! That’s insane! I’m glad you’re well and I’m sure you’ll have no trouble getting it back with all the yummy things you’re making! ^_^
Just wanted to add a note of caution to the recipe: make sure that marinade reaches over 160°F/71°C to kill any nasty bacteria it could have gotten from the chicken. You don’t want to get food poisoning again!
Looking forward to the special announcement. Even though I know what it is. >_>
You can’t keep me waiting for this big exciting announcement! I’m glad you are feeling better though!!! sounds like one bad sickness you had
Glad you’re feeling better! This looks like a delicious dinner!