Large Hibachi Grill | How to Cook Zucchini Like a Japanese Hibachi Restaurant?

The chefs at the Japanese hibachi restaurant transform cooking into a performance art, preparing your food on a large hibachi grill. The star of a teppanyaki dinner is usually the meat dish prepared over an open fire, but zucchini and onions are almost always prepared as a side dish. Most restaurants make zucchini on a teppanyaki grill table, which has a flat iron surface, and you can easily recreate this dish at home using a cast-iron skillet.

Step 1

Cut off the ends of a small tender zucchini; keep the skin intact. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and crosswise to make four roughly equal slices. Then cut the zucchini into strips about the size of fast-food French fries. Cut the onion into strips about 1/2 inch wide and 2-3 inches long.

Step 2

Preheat cast iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. Toast the sesame seeds in the pan for about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Remove the sesame seeds and set aside.

Step 3

Spread butter or sesame oil on the bottom of the frying pan. Heat the frying pan until the oil starts to smoke. Brush the zucchini and onion slices with a little sesame oil for extra flavor and keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan.

Step 4

Add the onions to the skillet, stirring constantly, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the onions are soft and starting to turn translucent. Onions take longer to cook than zucchini, so cook for a few minutes before adding the zucchini to make sure both vegetables are done at the same time.

Step 5

Add the zucchini and onion and stir to combine. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.

Step 6

Sauté the zucchini and onions for about 3 minutes, or until they are medium golden brown. Stir the vegetables constantly while frying to prevent sticking.

Step 7

Transfer the zucchini and onions to a plate. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.