Smoked Yakitori Kawa

Ingredients

• 500 grams Chicken skin (from thighs or breast)
• 0.25 cup Sake (for parboiling)
• 0.5 cup Shoyu (Soy Sauce)
• 0.5 cup Mirin
• 2 tablespoons Sugar
• 1 inch piece Ginger (sliced)
• 2 cloves Garlic (smashed)
• 1 handful Hickory or Cherry wood chips
• 1 teaspoon Shichimi Togarashi(optional)
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the chicken skin by scraping off excess fat with a knife, then parboil in water with sake for 2 minutes to remove impurities.

2. 2

   Drain the skin and pat it completely dry with paper towels; slice into 1-inch wide strips.

3. 3

   Thread the skin onto bamboo skewers using a 'zig-zag' folding pattern, packing them tightly to ensure even rendering.

4. 4

   Set up a cold-smoking chamber using a handheld smoking gun or a low-heat smoker; smoke the raw skewers for 20 minutes at a temperature below 90°F (32°C).

5. 5

   Prepare the 'Tare' sauce by simmering shoyu, mirin, sugar, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan until reduced by one-third.

6. 6

   Prepare a charcoal grill (preferably using Binchotan) to high heat; lightly salt the smoked skin skewers.

7. 7

   Grill the skewers, turning frequently, for 8-10 minutes until the fat renders out and the edges become deeply golden and crispy.

8. 8

   During the final minute of grilling, dip the skewers into the Tare sauce twice, allowing the glaze to caramelize over the coals without burning.