I love teriyaki. Absolutely love it. It's easy to make, stands up well to any type of protein, is extremely adapatable and kids really like it. There are plenty of teriyaki joints in Seattle (I think it was invented here, LOL) and there are so many variations. The flexibility is what I enjoy most; if I'm out of one ingredient I can always find a substitute in my pantry.
Here's my basic teriyaki sauce recipe. Use it with chicken, beef, pork, salmon, halibut, or tofu; whatever you like, really. A thought: I've never tried it with lamb. Hmm.
2 cups tamari or soy sauce
1 cup pineapple or orange juice
1/2 c packed brown sugar or equivalent amount of Splenda
Red pepper flakes or Cayenne pepper to taste
That's it! My basic recipe. I also like to add any or all of the following, depending on my mood:
- chopped fresh ginger
- sesame oil
- garlic
- Hoisin or Oyster sauce
- fish sauce
Note: using Splenda not only cuts calories and carbs, but imparts sweetness without burning during cooking, as sugar will. Don't like Splenda? Use stevia, agave, or whatever floats your boat. It's all good.
Combine all in a plastic bag large enough to hold your chosen protein. Marinating is essential, but not for too long; 30 minutes is enough. Any longer, and the citric acid in the juice will begin to "cook" the meat, resulting in a mushy texture.
Cook your protein according to your preferred method; for our dinner last night I baked bone-in chicken thighs. Reserve a bit of the marinade, too. It's great on either rice or noodles--but be sure to bring it to a boil first--want to make sure any bacteria from the protein are taken care of.
I also prepared a stir fry of red and yellow peppers, green onions, and chinese cabbage. This is the part the kids enjoy the most--Mom wielding a sharp knife with such colorful vegetables! Mo was allowed to scoop out the seeds and pith from the peppers; and she also scooped out the coconut oil for the wok. I boiled some japanese soba noodles, added them to the veg, and threw the reserved teriyaki in as well---delish!
