Authentic Tsukune: Japanese Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Soy Glaze

In Japan, yakitori (grilled chicken) restaurants serve a delectable delicacy known as tsukune, or Japanese chicken meatballs. Ground chicken is used to make these flavourful, soft meatballs, which are then glazed in a sweet soy sauce and infused with fragrant ginger and garlic. Tsukune is a flexible and simple dish or appetiser that may be grilled or pan-fried. The umami-packed flavours of Japanese cuisine are brought to your table with Tsukune, whether it is served as a main dish or eaten as a snack.

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb (450g) ground chicken
• 1/4 cup Crushed crackers
• 2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sake (optional)
• 1 tablespoon mirin (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Skewers (if grilling, soak them in water for 30 minutes)

For the Glaze:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sake (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions:

Get the Meatball Mixture Ready: Ground chicken, panko breadcrumbs, chopped green onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, sake, mirin, beaten egg, salt, and pepper should all be combined in a big dish.
Shape the Meatballs: Roll the chicken mixture into tiny balls or oval shapes using your hands. Thread the meatballs onto skewers if grilling. When pan-frying, do not combine them.
Cook the Meatballs: If you’re grilling, heat up your grill to medium and cook the skewered meatballs for ten to twelve minutes, flipping them from time to time, until they’re well cooked and browned. If you’re pan-frying the meatballs, heat up a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping them over to make sure they brown evenly all the way through.
To make the glaze, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small pot and stir until completely combined. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
Glaze the Meatballs: After the meatballs are well cooked, cover each one liberally with glaze by brushing or drizzling it on. To gently caramelise the glaze, you may grill or pan-fry the meatballs for a further one to two minutes, if you’d like.

Serve: If preferred, top the hot tsukune with additional green onions. You may eat them as an appetiser or as a full meal with rice and veggies.
In conclusion, tsukune, or Japanese chicken meatballs, are a tasty and simple meal that you can make at home to enjoy the flavour of street food in Japan. Sweet soy sauce gives these juicy meatballs a lovely caramelised touch, whether they are pan-fried or grilled. With its harmonious blend of savoury and sweet flavours, Tsukune is ideal for serving as an appetiser or a part of a bigger meal.