Grilled squid—yaki ina—is a fixture of street fairs, shrine festivals, and pushcart vendors. Its phenomenal soy sauce fragrance makes it almost impossible to pass by without wanting one.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1/2 cup soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

　　3 tablespoons mirin

　　1 pound small squid (bodies and tentacles), cleaned

　　

Step 1

Mix together the soy sauce, ginger, and mirin in a large bowl to make the marinade. Reserve 1/2 cup of the marinade and set aside. Lay the squid in the remaining liquid, gently turning 4 times to coat all over. Marinate the squid for 10 minutes at room temperature, turning once.

　　

Step 2

Preheat a grill to hot. Grill the squid for about 4 minutes (5 minutes if they're larger than 1 ounce apiece). Every 30 seconds flip the squid and brush on the reserved marinade. The squid will turn from translucent to white when they're ready, becoming tender and releasing a rich aroma. Be careful not to overcook; squid turns rubbery if grilled too long. Serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Japanese Grill by Tadashi Ono & Harris Salat. Copyright © 2011 by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat; food photographs copyright © 2011 by Todd Coleman. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House or Amazon.