Yakimono

Yakimono is a variety of Japanese dishes that are either grilled or pan-fried. Fish, shellfish, vegetables, or meat are some of the most common foods that get prepared in such a way. In the Japanese language, yaki means grilled or fired, and yakimono means fired thing. It is believed that yakimono was invented by soldiers who impaled chunks of meat on their swords and stuck them into a fire. A typical yakimono dish is cooked as small pieces of food on bamboo skewers, the most famous of these dishes in the West being yakitori, or skewered and grilled chicken. Most yakimono dishes are served piping hot, as an appetizer or as a part of a larger course of appetizers. There are also some other popular yakimono dishes that are not skewered, such as gyoza, pan-fried dumplings that are often filled with vegetables and pork. However, the basic type of yakimono is shioyaki, in which salt is coarsely sprinkled over the food before grilling.