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Japanese-Style Chicken Meatballs
Japanese chicken meatballs, called tsukune, are a standard offering in izakayas (pub-like gathering places) and restaurants specializing in yakitori. Sometimes shaped into cigars rather than orbs, the meatballs are grilled on skewers and finished with tare (pronounced tah-reh), a savory-sweet soy-based seasoning sauce. Vigorously mixing the meat mixture with either your hands or a silicone spatula helps create structure and a characteristic “bounciness,” so don’t feel the need to be gentle when combining, as if making meatloaf or burger. Instead of skewering and grilling the tsukune, we shape the mixture into small, thick meatballs, skip the skewers, and do all cooking in a nonstick skillet on the stovetop. To add a little spice to the tsukune, offer shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice blend) or yuzu kosho (Japanese chili and citrus paste) at the table.
4
Servings
Don’t brown the meatballs aggressively or they’ll toughen up and will cook unevenly from edge to center. Heat the oil for browning them over medium-high, then reduce the burner to medium as soon as the meatballs are in the pan.
50 minutes
Ingredients
-
½
cup sake
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½
cup mirin
Directions
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01Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment and mist with cooking spray; set aside. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, combine the sake, mirin, soy sauce, smashed garlic and bruised ginger. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until reduced to ⅓ cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic and ginger; transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Rinse out and dry the skillet.
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