FOOD NEWS
Shoyu Chicken Is The Hawaiian Dish You Should Know About
by RACHAEL GROW
A creative twist on teriyaki chicken, shoyu chicken is a popular entree in Hawaii. It infuses umami, a Chinese poaching technique, and a Japanese soy sauce called shoyu.
Shoyu is a soy sauce with a unique fermentation method and base ingredients. Ginger and sugar are used to amp up the sweet and zesty undertones the dish is known for.
Historically, shoyu chicken originated in bento boxes and was sold by homemakers to Hawaiian plantation workers. Today, many Hawaiian restaurants have shoyu chicken on the menu.
Beloved for its simplicity, variations include adding pineapple slices and barbequing or frying the chicken after marinating in shoyu to reach a crispy finish.
Kikkoman soy sauce is shoyu, and easy to find in stores. Add sugar, freshly grated ginger, garlic, and a bit of water to balance the punch of soy sauce the chicken absorbs.
Poached in the marinade for 30 minutes on each side in a "low and slow" method, the meat fall off the bone. Typical garnishes are chopped scallions or sesame seeds.
The sauce can be stored and used with leftovers. The flavorful dish is said to be even better the next day after more shoyu has seeped into the cooked chicken.