Japanese style small plates
These Japanese-inspired small plates combine crisp-bottomed prawn gyoza with a tangy dipping sauce, glazed chicken yakitori and warm dressed edamame. Great for date night.
Ingredients
For the prawn gyoza
- 200g/7oz raw king prawns, peeled and very finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2cm/¾in piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornflour
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 10 gyoza wrappers
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the gyoza dipping sauce
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2–3 tbsp black vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp chilli oil
For the yakitori glaze
- 100ml/3½fl oz light soy sauce
- 100ml/3½fl oz mirin
- 50ml/2fl oz sake
- 1½ tbsp caster sugar
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2cm/¾in piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 spring onion, chopped
For the chicken yakitori
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces
- 2 bamboo skewers, soaked in water, quantity to be confirmed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- togarashi, to sprinkle
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
For the edamame dressing
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp runny honey
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp yuzu juice
- chilli oil, to taste
For the dressed edamame
- 200g/7oz frozen shelled edamame beans
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- pinch salt
Method
To make the prawn gyoza, mix the prawns, spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, cornflour, caster sugar and white pepper in a bowl.
Spoon 1tsp of the filling into the centre of each gyoza wrapper. Brush the edge of the wrapper with water, then pleat and seal the edges.
Heat a large frying pan with a lid and add the oil, once hot add them to the pan and fry in to colour that base.
Add water 100ml/3½fl oz to the pan and cover with the lid. Steam for a few minutes, until the wrappers are tender and the prawn filling is opaque and cooked through.
To make the gyoza dipping sauce, mix the light soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil and chilli oil in a small bowl.
To make the yakitori glaze, put the soy sauce, mirin, sake, caster sugar, garlic, ginger and spring onion in a saucepan. Simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency.
For the chicken yakitori, preheat a griddle pan.
Thread alternate pieces of chicken and spring onion onto the soaked bamboo skewers. Brush with vegetable oil and cook on the hot griddle, turning regularly for 8–10 minutes.
When the chicken is almost cooked, brush it with a thin layer of the glaze. Continue to cook, brushing repeatedly with more glaze, until the chicken is cooked through.
Sprinkle with togarashi and serve with the lemon wedges.
To make the edamame dressing, mix the Japanese soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, yuzu juice and chilli oil in a bowl.
For the dressed edamame, cook the beans in boiling salted water for a few minutes. Drain well and toss immediately with the dressing.
Add the sesame seeds and spring onions and toss together.
To serve put the prawn gyoza on a serving plate and serve the dipping sauce alongside in a small bowl.
Serve the chicken yakitori and dressed edamame alongside as small plates.
