Tsukune Japanese Chicken Meatballs Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small pot over low heat. Add 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic; cook and stir until slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup tamari, 1/4 cup sake, mirin, brown sugar, and sesame seeds; simmer until glaze is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Combine ground chicken, egg, green onions, carrot, bread crumbs, miso, 2 tablespoons ginger, potato starch, seaweed, 1 tablespoon tamari, 1 tablespoon sake, soy sauce, white sugar, and paprika in a large bowl; mix well into a thick paste, at least 5 minutes.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Roll ground chicken mixture into balls the size of your palm. Flatten them slightly into patties. Grill until well-browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue grilling until browned on the second side, 2 to 3 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Brush glaze over meatballs before serving.

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup sake, 1 cup soy sauce, ½ cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine), and ½ cup zarame sugar or demerara sugar to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about a quarter, 25-30 minutes. Do ahead: Tare can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
• If using 1 lb. skin-on, boneless chicken thighs, grind in a meat grinder fitted with a 7-mm die. Divide chicken into 2 equal portions and run 1 portion through grinder a second time. Combine both portions in a large bowl. (You can also ask your butcher to grind the chicken for you.)
• If using 1 lb. ground dark-meat chicken plus 2 Tbsp. chicken fat, mix together in a large bowl.
• Add ½ small onion, finely chopped, 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1¾ tsp. mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine), and 1½ tsp. finely grated yuzu or lemon zest to chicken meat. Using your hands, mix until thoroughly combined.
• Divide meat into ¼ cup portions. Shape into balls, then form into 3½x1" logs. Arrange tsukune on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cup glutinous sweet rice flour on a plate. Working one at a time, dredge tsukune in flour, turning to coat, and transfer as many as will snugly fit to a parchment-lined large steamer basket.
• Pour water into a large saucepan to come 1" up sides and bring to a boil. Set steamer on top and cover. Steam tsukune until just cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Repeat process with any remaining tsukune if needed.
• Prepare a grill for high heat. Place tare in a tall, narrow glass (you should be able to submerge tsukune when you dunk it in the tare). Thread each tsukune onto a skewer.
• Grill tsukune, turning and dipping in tare every 2 minutes, until richly glazed, deeply browned, and charred in spots, about 8 minutes total.
• Transfer to a platter and sprinkle shichimi togarashi over. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Steps:

• Prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs, and knead with your hands until the mix is smooth and shiny. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to shape and cook.
• Prepare the hot pot: Place a large donabe, Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and bring the dashi to a simmer. Add the mirin and tamari. Whisk in miso. (You can put the miso in a strainer and hold it directly in the broth as you whisk, so it dissolves smoothly.)
• With wet hands, shape the chicken mixture into tablespoon-size balls to make about 30 meatballs, then drop them into the simmering broth. Add the mushrooms and tofu. (If using very delicate tofu, wait and add it with the greens.)
• Bring the broth back up to a simmer, turn the heat down to low, and cover. Simmer gently until all the ingredients are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Add the greens, and cover for 1 more minute, then serve with sesame and togarashi.