One of the places that I love to hang out in Japan is in the “izakayas” (shops or establishments that serve drinks, alcoholic beverages and also serve food. Izakayas are everywhere and they are mostly open all night. The Variety of food in their menu lists are not that long compared to a common restaurant, but they do have their specials.

My favorite izakaya is located a few blocks from my apartment and they offer a much longer menu list compared to the other izakayas I know. I often dine there because I love the food, the friendly atmosphere and the reasonable prices of their food and drinks.

One of my favorite izakayas is the pork kushiyaki. The term “kushi” means skewer, “yaki” means roast, and “buta” means pork. I usually eat about eight kushiyaki every time I go there along with some “sake” (Japanese rice wine) and a cup or two of rice.

Pork kushiyaki is not exclusive to izakayas, but is also a favorite at outdoor barbecues. They are also sold prepared or cooked in grocery stores, but making and cooking pork kushiyaki at home is not that difficult to do.

Pork Kushiyaki (for two)

Ingredients:

Marinade

– A tablespoon of Japanese soy sauce

– 1/4 teaspoon of pepper

– Two tablespoons of Japanese rice wine (sake)

– 1/4 teaspoon of peeled and crushed garlic

– 400 grams of pork

– One or two green peppers

– A cup of mushrooms

– An onion

– Barbecue sticks

Preparation:

– Cut the pork into small cubes

– Cut the green pepper in half and remove the seeds and veins, wash and cut into quarters.

– Peel the onion and cut it into quarters.

– Stick the pork, onions, mushrooms and green pepper on a barbecue stick alternately.

– All the ingredients are marinated.

– To cook, place all the ingredients on the grill side by side and turn regularly.

– While cooking, apply a thin layer of marinade sauce with a kitchen brush.

It is best served with white rice and a fresh salad.

This is the recipe that my Japanese neighbor who is also a good friend of mine taught me when we used to make pork kushiyaki at his house. Ingredients aren’t hard to find, preparation is easy, cooking is fun, especially if you have a bottle of sake by your side. Try this delicious recipe, I’m sure you’ll like it.