‘Tsukune’ is a Japanese dish of minced Meat. Chicken Mince is popularly used. ‘Tsukune’ can be round patties OR meatballs, sometimes served on skewers, and commonly covered with a sauce similar to Teriyaki Sauce. This is my very basic recipe. You can use this mixture for a variety of dishes.

Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

500g Chicken Mince
2 thick Spring Onions *I use white & lighter colour parts only
*Note: If you want to use green parts as well, you need 1 large Spring Onion. It is your choice to use Brown Onion. Use 1/4 to 1/2 Onion, very finely chopped.
1 small piece Ginger *grated
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
1/2 cup ‘Panko’ Breadcrumbs *plus extra if the mixture is too soft
*Note: You can add 3 to 4 tablespoons Potato Starch instead of ‘Panko’, but I often find the mixture too soft.
Oil for cooking
Toasted Sesame Seeds *optional
*Note: You can use finely chopped green parts of Spring Onion for topping.

Teriyaki Sauce
1 teaspoon Sugar *add extra for sweeter sauce
2 tablespoons Mirin *1 tablespoon is 15ml
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Sake (Rice Wine) OR Water
1 teaspoon Potato Starch OR Corn Starch

Method
  1. Combine all the Teriyaki Sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Cut lighter colour parts of Spring Onion in half lengthways, and finely chop them up. In a mixing bowl, combine Chicken Mince, Spring Onions, Ginger, Salt, Egg and ‘Panko’ Breadcrumbs. *Note: You can add White Pepper OR Chilli if you like.
  3. Divide the mixture into 8 portions. *Note: You may wish to make smaller patties OR meatballs. It is your choice.
  4. Wet your hands with Oil and roll the mixture into rounds or oblongs. *Note: If too soft, it is your choice to spoon the mixture directly to the pan and form into rounds.
  5. Heat a small amount of Oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and cook Chicken Patties until both sides are nicely browned and cooked through. When cooked, mix the Sauce very well, and pour it over the Patties. The sauce should thicken instantly. Cover the Patties with the thickened Sauce.
  6. *Note: In the above photo, I inserted sticks into the cooked patties.