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mushroom yakitori

mushroom yakitori

Who doesn't love eating food on a stick? When I was living in Tokyo I loved going to yakitori restaurants where one could select from all kinds of simply grilled ingredients. Usually it's mainly all parts of a chicken (after all, the literal translation of 'yakitori' is 'grilled chicken'), but you can also find gingko nuts, okra, mushrooms, shishito peppers, and even mini Japanese sweet potatoes in some restaurants these days. These king oyster mushroom skewers remind me of making them with chicken, with the same chewy bite with lovely charred bits.

ingredients

MAKES 10 SKEWERS


1lb large king oyster mushrooms

5 to 5 scallions, white parts only, cut into 1" segments

1 Tbsp neutral oil

1 Tbsp minced ginger

2 tsp Yondu or soy sauce

1 tsp sugar 

2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water

1/2 lemon cut into wedges, to serve


FOR THE GLAZE

1/2 tsp Yondu or dark soy sauce

1 tsp mirin or sake

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp blackstrap molasses or dark brown sugar


10 (6") bamboo skewers, soaked in water for an hour, this will prevent the skewers from burning. 

method
  • Trim the tops of the mushrooms off, reserving them for another dish, and cut off any hard ends. Cut the mushrooms in half lengthwise and use a vegetable peeler to make thin strips.

  • Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan on high heat and stir-fry the mushroom ribbons and scallion segments with the minced ginger, Yondu, and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened. Drizzle in the cornstarch slurry to thicken and absorb any excess moisture. Transfer to a plate to cool.

  • In a small bowl, combine the Yondu, mirin, coconut oil, and molasses to make a glaze and set aside.

  • Pierce the mushroom strips onto the skewer, folding and securing the mushrooms in a zigzag pattern, about 1 inch wide. Alternate every two mushroom strips with a scallion segment and continue to assemble the skewer until it is about half full and densely packed. Continue to assemble the remaining skewers. Place them an inch apart on a baking sheet.

  • Set the broiler on high and place the baking rack on the highest tier, close to the flame. Brush the assembled skewers with the glaze. Broil for 10 minutes in the center of the oven, right underneath the flame. Flip the skewers over and brush the glaze on 2 to 3 times. Keep an eye on these to ensure the bamboo skewers don't burn! You can also cover the ends with foil to ensure they don't burn. 

  • Serve them hot with a lemon wedge to spritz on for a layer of freshness

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