Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)

Name: Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs)
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar; 1 Tbsp dark sesame oil; 2 Tbsps dry sherry; 1 large egg white; 2 Tbsps minced peeled fresh ginger, divided; 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger; 2 Tbsps minced garlic, divided; 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 680 grams ground chicken; 0 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 Tbsp lime juice; 3 Tbsps lower-sodium soy sauce; 3 Tbsps mirin (sweet rice wine); 118 milliliters panko (Japanese breadcrumbs); 2 teaspoons red miso (soybean paste); 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced; 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar; 113 grams sliced shiitake mushroom caps

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatballs) a try. This recipe serves 6. Watching your figure? This dairy free recipe has 262 calories, 23g of protein, and 13g of fat per serving. Head to the store and pick up lower-sodium soy sauce, egg white, sesame oil, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the cornstarch you could follow this main course with the Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding as a dessert.

Instructions

To prepare meatballs, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat.

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Meatballs

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Frying Pan

Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.

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Cooking Oil

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Frying Pan

Add mushrooms, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 1 tablespoon garlic; saut 2 minutes.

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Mushrooms

Garlic

Ginger

Add sherry; cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender.

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Mushrooms

Sherry

Remove from heat; cool.

Place mushroom mixture and miso in a mini chopper; pulse 10 times or until very finely chopped.

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Mushrooms

Miso

Combine mushroom mixture, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chicken, and next 6 ingredients (through egg white) in a bowl. Shape mixture into 36 (1-inch) meatballs. Thread 3 meatballs onto each of 12 (6-inch) flat bamboo skewers. Chill for 30 minutes.

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Egg Whites

Meatballs

Mushrooms

Whole Chicken

Garlic

Ginger

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Skewers

Bowl

To prepare sauce, combine mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.

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Soy Sauce

Vinegar

Mirin

Sauce

Sugar

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Sauce Pan

Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in juice, 2 teaspoons grated ginger, and serrano. Reserve 2 tablespoons sauce.

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Ginger

Juice

Sauce

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.

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Cooking Spray

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Grill Pan

Frying Pan

Place 6 skewers in pan; cook 9 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

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Skewers

Frying Pan

Remove from pan; brush half of sauce over meatballs. Repeat procedure with remaining 6 skewers and sauce.

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Meatballs

Sauce

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Skewers

Frying Pan

Sprinkle with sesame seeds; serve with reserved 2 tablespoons sauce.

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Sesame Seeds

Sauce

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Recommended wine: Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling

Asian works really well with Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling. The best wine for Asian food depends on the cuisine and dish - of course - but these acidic whites pair with a number of traditional meals, spicy or not. One wine you could try is Beaumont Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc. It has 4.5 out of 5 stars and a bottle costs about 30 dollars.

Beaumont Hope Marguerite Chenin Blanc

Named after their grandmother, Hope Marguerite Beaumont, this barrel fermented and matured Chenin Blanc is always elegant and complex. Winner of four Platter 5 star ratings, it is seen as one of South Africa’s benchmark Chenin wines.