Personal
Car Stuff
Extras
Tsukune (Chicken Meatballs)
From: bonappetit.com
SERVES 4-6
2 pounds ground chicken, preferably dark meat, divided
1 cup minced scallions (about 6)
2 tablespoons red miso (fermented soybean paste)
2 tablespoons sesame oil (not toasted) or canola oil, plus more for hands
Tare (Soy Basting Sauce; see below)
Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 lb. (1 1/2 cups) ground chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is opaque and just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let cool.
Combine cooked chicken, remaining 1 1/3 lb. chicken, scallions, miso, and 2 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl. Knead with your hands until a homogenized, sticky mixture forms, about 5 minutes. Clean hands; lightly coat with oil to prevent meat mixture from sticking. Divide mixture into 16 equal portions. Roll each into a ball, then form each ball into a 4"-long cylinder. Hold 2 skewers, separating 1" apart at top to form a V shape. Insert tops lengthwise into 1 cylinder. Press meat gently to flatten slightly. Repeat with remaining skewers and meat.
Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Arrange bricks for yakitori grill. Working in batches, grill skewers, turning every minute, for 4 minutes. Brush with tare and continue cooking, turning once, for 2 minutes. Brush again with tare and grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
Tare (Soy Basting Sauce)
Makes 1/2 cup
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
3/4 teaspoon (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 scallion, chopped
1-inch-piece peeled ginger t(1/4 ounce), sliced
Place a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to a generous 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Strain sauce, discarding solids in sieve. Let cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight in refrigerator.
