Tsukune (Japanese meatballs)

Step 1/5

• 2½ shiso leaves
• 1 scallions

• cutting board
• knife

Stack the shiso leaves, roll up tightly, and thinly slice. Thinly slice scallions.

Step 2/5

• 150 g ground chicken
• ¼ tbsp white miso paste
• ¼ tbsp toasted sesame oil
• salt
• toasted sesame oil

• bowl
• 8 wooden skewers

Add chicken, shiso, scallion, miso, and sesame oil to a large bowl. Season with salt and mix to combine. Cover your hands lightly with some sesame oil and shape the meat into a small oval, then skewer with wooden skewers.

Step 3/5

• 37½ ml soy sauce
• 37½ ml mirin
• 15 ml sake
• 17½ ml water
• ½ tsp brown sugar
• ¼ tbsp starch
• 5 ml water

• pot
• rubber spatula

Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, most of the water, and brown sugar to a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix starch with remaining water, then add to the sauce. Let simmer approx. 1 min. more, then set aside.

Step 4/5

• vegetable oil (for frying)

• cast iron pan
• spatula

Heat a cast-iron frying pan with some vegetable oil over high heat. Turn heat to medium, then fry the meatballs until golden brown on all sides.

Step 5/5

• shichimi togarashi (for serving)
• shiso leaf (for serving)

• pastry brush

Brush a generous amount of the yakitori sauce on the meatballs and cook a bit until the sauce is glossy and thick on the meatballs. Serve tsukune with extra sauce and garnish with shichimi togarashi and shiso leaves. Enjoy!

Enjoy your meal!