Japanese Chicken Meatballs (Tsukune) with Sweet Soy Glaze
These Japanese chicken meatballs, known as Tsukune, are a delicious and authentic dish often found in Japanese restaurants. Grilled on skewers and served with a sweet soy glaze, they pair perfectly with a side of rice.
Equipment
- Metal skewers
- Grill (charcoal or gas)
- Measuring cups
- spatula
- Mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 2 medium shiitake mushrooms dried
- 1 ½ pounds of ground chicken or ground turkey
- ½ cup dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped scallion whites
- 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons of ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of ground pepper
- ¼ cup of mirin or cream sherry
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil optional
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl.
- Cover them with boiling water and let them soak for 45 minutes.
- Drain the mushrooms, remove and discard the stems, and finely chop the caps.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped mushroom caps, ground chicken, breadcrumbs, egg white, finely chopped scallion whites, 2 teaspoons of minced ginger, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper.
- Mix until evenly combined.
- Shape the mixture into about 24 meatballs, using about 2 tablespoons of meat per meatball.
- Place the meatballs on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to one day).
- In a small saucepan, combine the mirin (or sherry), soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of minced ginger.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in the cornstarch mixture, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, about 2 to 5 minutes.
- Prepare half of the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grill rack.
- Thread four meatballs onto each metal skewer.
- Grill the meatballs over direct heat until grill marks appear, turning once, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.
- Move the grilled meatballs to the unlit side of the grill.
- Brush the tops with the glaze and grill for an additional 2 minutes.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter.
- Drizzle any remaining glaze and sesame oil over the meatballs.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if desired, and serve hot.
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Pair with a chilled Sake or a light Pinot Gris to complement the savory and sweet flavors of the dish.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 320 kcal | Carbohydrates: 15 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 15 g | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 7 g | Salt: 900 mg
