Yakimono

Description

Yakimono is a variety of Japanese dishes that are either grilled or pan-fried. Fish, shellfish, vegetables, or meat are some of the most common foods that get prepared in such a way. In the Japanese language, yaki means grilled or fired , and yakimono means fired thing . It is believed that yakimono was invented by soldiers who impaled chunks of meat on their swords and stuck them into a fire. A typical yakimono dish is cooked as small pieces of food on bamboo skewers, the most famous of these dishes in the West being yakitori , or skewered and grilled chicken. Most yakimono dishes are served piping hot, as an appetizer or as a part of a larger course of appetizers. There are also some other popular yakimono dishes that are not skewered, such as gyoza , pan-fried dumplings that are often filled with vegetables and pork. However, the basic type of yakimono is shioyaki , in which salt is coarsely sprinkled over the food before grilling.