Notes
Mirin is a rice wine found in Japanese cooking. It is now available in bigger supermarkets, but can be substituted with rice wine vinegar, dry sherry or dry white wine.
Ingredients
4 chicken drumsticks/chicken thighs
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 shallot, diced
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. ginger paste
2 tsp. garlic paste
1/2 tsp. chilli flakes
2 tbsp. mirin
black pepper
Some rice, Asian 'slaw or both, to serve
Method
Score the drumsticks with a sharp knife - this will let the marinade penetrate further.
Combine the soy sauce, shallot, honey, ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli flakes, mirin and black pepper. Add the drumsticks and marinade for 30 minutes up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 140°C fan/160°C/gas mark 3.
Place the chicken, covered with the marinade, on a shallow baking tray and roast for 30 minutes. This will enable the chicken to cook through without burning the marinade.
Remove, baste with the marinade, turn the oven up to 200°C fan/220°C/gas mark 7 and cook for a further 15 minutes. This will give the chicken a chance to get sticky and bit charred.
Serve with some rice, some Asian 'slaw, or both