Japanese beef skewers with yakitori sauce

Ingredients

500g ANZCO Foods beef flap meat
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
8 wooden skewers
Sticky rice

Yakitori sauce

⅔ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp mirin rice wine
2 Tbsp sake (can sub cooking wine)
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp corn-starch

Togarashi

1 Tbsp dried mandarin
2 Tbsp of dried chilli flakes
3 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
2 nori sheets, snipped into pieces
2 Tbsp of white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp of black sesame seeds
1 Tbsp of poppy seeds
1 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp crispy shallots

Serves 4

Method

1. Preparation

Soak the wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat grill, pan or BBQ. Prepare the sticky rice as per packet instructions.

2. Make the Yakitori sauce

In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine, sake, and garlic. In a small bowl whisk the water and corn-starch. Add to the sauce pan and whisk. Continue to cook until it thickens.

3. Make the togarashi

Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

4. Prepare the beef skewers

Slice the flap meat into thin strips and thread the meat onto the soaked wooden skewers. Reduce the heat of the grill to medium-low and place skewers on the grill. Take a basting brush and generously brush sauce on each skewer and cook covered for 2 minutes. Flip skewers after 2 minutes and baste once again. Cover and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until meat reaches your liking. Discard remaining basting sauce.

5. To serve

Spoon a thick row of sticky rice on the plate. Place 3 skewers on top of the rice and sprinkle with togarashi.