• Ground chicken300g
• Sake1 tbsp
• Salt1/3 tsp
• Shiso leaves, finely chopped10 leaves
• ★Salt1/3–1/2 tsp
• ★Sesame oil2 tbsp
• ★Chicken stock powder1/2 tsp

1. 1

   In a bowl, combine 300g ground chicken, 1 tbsp sake, and 1/3 tsp salt. Knead well by hand until the mixture becomes sticky. Add the finely chopped shiso (10 leaves) and mix until evenly combined.

2. 2

   Lightly coat your hands with vegetable oil (not included in measurements) and shape the mixture into 18 small balls.

3. 3

   Arrange the tsukune balls on a microwave-safe plate and heat at 600W for 1 minute. Remove and rearrange the balls to ensure even heating.

4. 4

   Microwave again for another 1 minute. This step is just to pre-cook them before pan-frying — they don't need to be fully cooked through at this stage.

5. 5

   In a bowl, mix together all the ★ seasonings to make the sesame salt sauce.

6. 6

   Heat the sesame salt sauce from step 5 in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the tsukune balls from step 4 and cook over low to medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

7. 7

   Once the surface is nicely browned, they're done!

8. 8

   For a fun yakitori-style presentation, skewer them on sticks before serving.

For softer, juicier tsukune, we recommend using ground chicken thigh meat. Be careful not to over-microwave, as too much heat will dry out the meat and make it tough — try reducing the power to 500W or shortening the heating time if needed.

• Calories173 kcal
• Protein12.7 g
• Fat12 g
• Carbs1 g
• Sodium1.1 g