This is a very easy recipe from the Izakaya: The Japanese Pub cookbook by Robinson and Kuma. Despite being easy, I managed to complicate things by not reading the recipe and subsequently forgetting to pick up the ume paste.

I decided to make it on my own (having absolutely no idea how to do so).   A few umeboshi (very, very,very salty Japanese pickled plum-like fruit) are minced.  I used a suribachi to  purée them further (not sure it actually made any difference).  A little sake, mirin and rice wine were added to thin out the mixture so that it could be brushed over the chicken at the end.

Fillet chicken breasts to make a thin even layer.  A mallet was used to even up the thickness.

Shiso leaves (aka perilla) are used to cover the chicken.   The chicken is then rolled, cut into thin slices and put onto skewers.

The skewers are then cooked.  Ideally they should be cooked over a barbecue grill.  I tried an electric grill initially and then switched to a grill frying pan.  Brush with ume paste.

The brochettes turned out okay but a bit overcooked (my issue – not the recipe).  I need to refine the grilling portion of the recipe but, despite being overcooked, it was delicious and worth trying again.