Saturday 17 September 2022

Japanese Chicken Meatballs AKA Tsukune

There's a wonderful Japanese yakitori bar/restaurant not too far from us, which cooks up splendid chicken dishes.  We love their tsukune, but oddly I had never thought to make it myself - until I found this recipe in a Taste magazine recently.  It is simple and so delicious.  As regular readers may be aware, I have a thing about Japanese foods and ceramics, and homewares ...  Konnichi wa, my friends.  See what eighteen months of university Japanese language will do for you? :=)

I guess you could say this is a bit of a cheat's dish as there are some frozen components.  But still delicious for all that.  As an aside, I just read that tsukune is a generic term for any Japanese meatball, but that chicken is the most popular.  Yay to that!  But I do feel a bit guilty when going to the restaurant, realising how many chickens died for our dinners.  Sorry, chickens! :=(  


tsukune sizzling in a sauce of mirin and soy


Serves 4: (I made 17 balls!)

ingredients:

For the Tsukune:

500g./1.1 lb chicken mince

25g./½ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 spring onions/green shallots/scallions/green onions, finely sliced

2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated or chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

2.5 Tbs soy sauce

4 tsp wasabi paste - yes, really!

2 Tbs veg. oil (I used EV olive oil, 'cos I'm a rebel)

60 mL/¼ cup mirin or mirin seasoning

2 tsp mixed sesame seeds, toasted (but I forgot to toast 'em)

125g./½ cup Kewpie mayo - yes, it has to be Kewpie!


For the salad:

400g./14 oz baby potatoes, steamed or microwaved till tender

1/2 cup frozen veg. (I like a mix of corn, capsicum and peas), thawed in boiling water for five+ minutes

2 spring onions, finely chopped

2 radishes, finely chopped

1-2 Tbs fresh chives, snipped

1-2 Tbs lightly-dried parsley (or fresh, snipped)

2 Tbs sesame seeds

freshly ground black pepper


For the salad dressing:

2 Tbs Kewpie mayo

1 tsp wasabi paste


To serve:

1 packet (400g./14 oz) frozen edamame, boiled and podded


Method:

Whack on some plastic gloves (or with very clean hands) gently mix together the chicken, panko, spring onions, ginger, egg, 2 tsp of the soy sauce and 2 tsp of the wasabi in a medium mixing bowl

Grab tablespoons of the mix, and roll into balls, then whack 'em into the fridge on a tray for 20-30 minutes to firm up

You can then simply fry these in the heated veg. oil over medium heat for 6 minutes before adding the mirin and soy sauce - or do what I did - bake them first at 190C/375F for 10 minutes, which makes the frying quicker and easier ('cos I hate frying, my friends)

So, Mr P. heated the oil in a grill pan, then plopped in the semi-baked meatballs for 3 minutes

We then added the mirin and the rest of the soy sauce to the pan, and Mr P. cooked the balls for another 3 minutes 

And ... sprinkle on the sesame seeds

Mix the Kewpie mayo and the rest of the wasabi in a small bowl, and serve with the tsukune (which you serve with the salad and edamame)

Throw all the salad ingredients into a serving bowl, mix the salad dressing together, spoon onto the salad and give it a gentle stir to coat all the ingredients


Notes:

Just in case it's not clear - if frying them, you cook for 6 minutes, then add the mirin and soy sauce, and fry for another 3 mins.  If baking and frying, bake for 10, then fry for 3 mins., add the seasonings and fry for another 3 mins.


ingredients gathered

tsukune ingredients ready for rolling

ready for baking at 190C/375F for 10 mins.

out of the oven after the 10 mins.

into the frypan with the seasoning

gloriously green edamame

potato-ish salad :-)

ready to serve and eat

Yay!  Dinner is served


© Sherry M.


54 comments:

  1. The whole meal looks amazing.

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  2. That's a great recipe. Love your plates too.

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  3. These look very good. A bit complicated but not TOO much -- and I love the ingredients!

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    1. it probably sounds harder than it was. dead easy to make, really!

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  4. These meatballs look really tender and juicy...perfect with the salad for a wonderful meal, Sherry.

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  5. That sounds very delicious! Great flavors. You had me at meatballs.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.

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  6. I'm going to have to buy some kewpie mayonnaise as these sound delicious.
    from Tandy I Lavender and Lime https://tandysinclair.com

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  7. Am actually 'off' until the funeral but obviously drawn to anything Japanese ! A desire to make my home in Kyoto probably arose ere you were born !!! My oft made meatballs are actually rather similar to yours . . . agree that Kewpie is the only mayo to buy . . ., but with my belief patterns change that to yoghurt ++ lovely lesson !!!

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    1. 'off', Eha? Not sure what you mean :-) Kewpie is the best! cheers!

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    2. My apologies ! Being a firm monarchist I have mostly abstained from commenting over the last fortnight. A number of people here have been on my 'send' lists for years . . . so !

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    3. I admired the Queen even tho I think it's time to move on. Republic here we come :) Thanks for commenting.

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  8. Sherry, this looks fantastic. I also love Japanese food but seldom cook it . I have to try this recipe since I am trying to loose some extra pounds. Gerlinde @sunnycovechef

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  9. I am trying to comment Gerlinde de Broekert

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  10. It's so weird -- I love meatballs, but SO rarely make them. Weird. But hen I am. :-) Anyway, lovely recipe -- tons of flavor, which of course I like. Thanks for this.

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  11. Meatballs are a favorite as my blog shows! Love the wasabi paste addition. I've tried Kewpie mayo and family didn't care for it - will have to stick with Hellmann's :)

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    1. i think everyone loves meatballs! I can't believe they don't like kewpie!:-) Impossible :) I can't stand those mayos that are all gelatinous and gloopy so that's another reason why i love kewpie.

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  12. Looks delish Sherry and will try it this week - I'll send you a photo 📸 have a fab Sunday xxx

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  13. Everyone loves a meatball Sherry and those are some great flavor combinations. Think I could use almond meal to make them gluten free?

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    1. thank you Liz. I wonder? It'd be worth a go using almond meal. You could add some cornflake crumbs too for a bit of crunch.

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  14. I love a good meatball. They make such a great snack. Yours look fabulous. Sherry, I am having a difficult time commenting. I think it is because I don’t use WordPress for my blog. Gerlinde de Broekert

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    1. thanks again gerlinde. Your comments are coming through as far as I know :)

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  15. Your meatballs look fantastic. I have to try them.

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  16. I love meatballs. The meatballs look delicious.

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  17. Sherry, your Japanese meatballs look delicious. The wasabi paste must add a nice kick to the flavor and heat. Love it.

    Velva

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    1. yes velva the wasabi was a fabulous kick to the taste. I do love japanese foods!

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  18. Che buone le polpette! Vorrei essere tua ospite per assaggiarle!

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  19. Wow - these meatballs look and sound fantastic, Sherry! I'm not familiar with tsukune, but I've never really met a meatball that I didn't like. :-) The amount of wasabi paste surprises me a bit, but I trust you!!

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    1. thank you david. Meatballs are the bomb - always:) Yes the wasabi is great and not too much. Cheers.

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  20. Hi Sherry - how I'd love to be a dinner guest at your place! These look delicious! It's Min from Write of the Middle - I'm commenting from my laptop at Mum's house and it will only let me comment under Anonymous. xo

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    1. thanks Min :). Hope you're feeling well now (the eyes I mean).

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  21. Gosh, that looks good! The recipe intimidates me, as I don't do a lot of frying, and I'm not really sure how to do it well. But it looks delicious.

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    1. thanks Deb. honestly it's easy; maybe i made it sound hard with all the frying directions but you can just bake 'em then throw them in a pan in the sauce. easy peasy!

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  22. wow! this is all amazing! What a meal. Don't pop over to my blog - it's a tomato sauce!!!

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  23. Definitely making these! I'm not familiar with tsukune, but they look delicious.

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  24. They look so delicious! I particularly the glaze they are coated with!

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  25. Each component looks delicious, and putting them all together even more so. :)

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