Editor's note: This recipe is excerpted from Harumi's Japanese Cooking , by Harumi Kurihara. To read more about Harumi, click here.
Ingredients
3-4 green onions
salt and pepper
2 small cucumbers
10 oz. boneless chicken thighs with skin
1 tablespoon sake
1 teaspoon sesame oil
small piece crushed ginger
1/4 cup liquid made up from the juices of the cooked chicken (and water if necessary)
4 tablespoons sesame paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili paste or to-ban-jan
2 tablespoons roughly ground sesame seeds
2 tablespoons finely shredded green onions
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
Directions
1. Finely chop the green onion diagonally, reserving the green part for use during cooking the chicken. Soak in cold water for a few minutes to remove the bitterness of the onion, then drain and put aside to use later.
2. On a chopping board, sprinkle the cucumbers with a few pinches of salt, rubbing it into the flesh, then rinse. This lessens the aroma of the cucumber and gives it a good green color. Hit the cucumbers with a pestle (if you don't have a pestle, use a bottle) and break it apart with your hands, to make uneven pieces.
3. Pierce the chicken pieces with a skewer and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and oil and then place the green part of the green onion and the crushed ginger on top. Cover and microwave on medium for 4 minutes, or until cooked. Leave to cool. Keep the juice from the chicken to use in the sesame sauce.
4. Shred the chicken with your hands and place in a serving dish. Mix in the cucumber and put the chopped green onion on top.
5. Mix all the ingredients for the sesame sauce in a small bowl and pour over the chicken and cucumber.
