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. |
It looks yummy!
ReplyDeletethanks Marie.
DeleteThe whole meal looks amazing.
ReplyDeletevery kind of you Pam.
DeleteThat's a great recipe. Love your plates too.
ReplyDeletethanks TIna.
DeleteThese look very good. A bit complicated but not TOO much -- and I love the ingredients!
ReplyDeleteit probably sounds harder than it was. dead easy to make, really!
DeleteThese meatballs look really tender and juicy...perfect with the salad for a wonderful meal, Sherry.
ReplyDeletethey were good thanks angie.
DeleteThat sounds very delicious! Great flavors. You had me at meatballs.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.
yes there's something about a meatball ... :)
DeleteI'm going to have to buy some kewpie mayonnaise as these sound delicious.
ReplyDeletefrom Tandy I Lavender and Lime https://tandysinclair.com
yes kewpie is the best!
DeleteAm 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 !!!
ReplyDelete'off', Eha? Not sure what you mean :-) Kewpie is the best! cheers!
DeleteMy 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 !
DeleteI admired the Queen even tho I think it's time to move on. Republic here we come :) Thanks for commenting.
DeleteSherry, 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
ReplyDeletegood luck gerlinde!
DeleteI am trying to comment Gerlinde de Broekert
ReplyDeleteIt'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.
ReplyDeletethank you KR.
DeleteMeatballs 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 :)
ReplyDeletei 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.
DeleteLooks delish Sherry and will try it this week - I'll send you a photo 📸 have a fab Sunday xxx
ReplyDeletei hope you like it!
DeleteEveryone loves a meatball Sherry and those are some great flavor combinations. Think I could use almond meal to make them gluten free?
ReplyDeletethank 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.
DeleteI 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
ReplyDeletethanks again gerlinde. Your comments are coming through as far as I know :)
DeleteYour meatballs look fantastic. I have to try them.
ReplyDeletethanks gerlinde. they are good.
DeleteI love meatballs. The meatballs look delicious.
ReplyDeletethank you nancy. i think we all love a meatball.
DeleteSherry, your Japanese meatballs look delicious. The wasabi paste must add a nice kick to the flavor and heat. Love it.
ReplyDeleteVelva
yes velva the wasabi was a fabulous kick to the taste. I do love japanese foods!
DeleteChe buone le polpette! Vorrei essere tua ospite per assaggiarle!
ReplyDeletethank you Lea! so kind.
DeleteWow - 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!!
ReplyDeletethank you david. Meatballs are the bomb - always:) Yes the wasabi is great and not too much. Cheers.
DeleteHi 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
ReplyDeletethanks Min :). Hope you're feeling well now (the eyes I mean).
DeleteGosh, 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.
ReplyDeletethanks 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!
Deletewow! this is all amazing! What a meal. Don't pop over to my blog - it's a tomato sauce!!!
ReplyDeletetee hee. me and tomatoes...
DeleteDefinitely making these! I'm not familiar with tsukune, but they look delicious.
ReplyDeleteoh yes they are delish belvinder!
DeleteThey look so delicious! I particularly the glaze they are coated with!
ReplyDeleteThanks much FT.
DeleteEach component looks delicious, and putting them all together even more so. :)
ReplyDeletethanks again :)
Deletethanks Ronit.
ReplyDelete