Yakitori - A kabob that is quite popular as a snack, party food, or casual dinner item. (Goes well with Japanese beer and Saki.)



Begin by soaking your wooden skewers in water to prevent them from burning.

-3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces -1 teaspoon sugar -2 Tablespoons sake -3 Tablespoons mirin -3 Tablespoons soy sauce

Skewer the chicken on the soaked skewers. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Grill the skewered chicken, using the sauce as a baste.

Edamame - Edamame has become more popular as a Japanese snack food in America in recent years, so it's getting easier to find it in the grocery stores.

Serve it like we would pretzels (with beer during the game) or keep it in baggies like trail mix as a snack on the go. What a great way to get the kids to eat veggies! (Be wary of folks who are allergic to soy, though!)

To prepare your edamame, wash it thoroughly. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water, then add the edamame. Boil for three to four minutes. Drain, then add a little more salt. Let it cool, then store it in an airtight container.

Sunonomo (cucumber and Daikon salad) - This dish is excellent either as a fresh snack in the afternoon or as a side dish for any meal.

Ingredients: - 1 daikan radish - 1 cucumber - 5 tbsp rice vinegar - 2 tbsp sugar - 1 tsp salt

Peel the radish first before cutting it into thin slices. Cut the cucumber just as thinly.

Salt both vegetables and allow the salt to soak in for about ten minutes. Wash them off and drain well. Mix the vinegar and sugar and pour over the veggies. Let sit for at least fifteen minutes before serving.

With the expansion of the Asian section in most grocery stores, and more and more Asian specialty stores opening up, you are sure to find plenty of ingredients and ideas for Japanese snack foods.