Chicken Negimaki With Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

Step 1

To make negimaki: Remove tenders from chicken, if necessary. Pound breast halves, 1/2 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. On a work surface arrange 1 breast half, smooth side down, with a long side facing you and put 1 scallion (or 2 if very thin) lengthwise on chicken. Roll chicken around scallion and tie with Kitchen string at 1 inch intervals. Trim scallion flush with chicken. Make 7 more rolls in same manner

Step 2

Mince garlic and in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold rolls in 1 layer, stir together garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Add rolls, turning them to coat. Marinate negimaki, covered and chilled for at least 4 hours or up to one day

Step 3

To make the sauce: Coarsely chop bell pepper and in a blender, puree with white vinegar. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan and stir in sugar, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Simmer sauce 5 minutes and cool. Sauce may be made 1 week ahead and chilled in an airtight container.

Step 4

Spread sesame seeds on a sheet of waxed paper. Remove negimaki from marinade, letting excess drip off, and roll in sesame seeds to coat. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook negimaki in 2 batches, turning them occasionally, until cooked throughabout 10 minutes, adding remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet as necessary. Transfer negimaki as cooked to a cutting board and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices, discarding string.

Step 5

Push skewers through sesame seed coated edge of slices. Serve negimaki warm or at room temperature with dipping sauce

Step 6