Homestyle Japanese Cooking (4 page)

Minced Chicken in Clear Soup

500 g (1 lb) minced chicken

2 spring onions, minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce

1 medium egg

2 tablespoons cornstarch

750 ml (3 cups) Basic Dashi Stock (page
4
)

2 tablespoons sake

2 tablespoons
mirin

1 spring onion, finely sliced for garnish

2 sprigs fresh coriander leaves for garnish

1
Combine minced chicken, minced spring onions, ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and egg in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle in cornstarch and mix well.

2
Form chicken mixture into balls, about 5 cm (2 in) round. You may need to moisten your hands with water to prevent the mixture from sticking.

3
Combine Basic Dashi Stock, sake,
mirin,
and remaining soy sauce in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

4
Reduce heat and add chicken balls, one at a time, to the simmering broth, and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove balls from broth with a slotted spoon and transfer to four individual serving bowls. Pour the broth into each of the bowls and garnish with thinly sliced spring onions and fresh coriander leaves.

Serves 4

Preparation time:
5 mins

Cooking time:
15 mins

Sesame Chicken Loaf

500 g (1 lb) minced chicken meat

1 small leek, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sake

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1
Combine chicken, leek, ginger, soy sauce, sake
,
and egg in a mixing bowl and mix until well combined.

2
Heat oil in a small skillet and pat chicken mixture evenly to cover the bottom. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until underside is brown. Cut chicken mixture into quarters, and turn the wedges over to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

3
Transfer to a chopping board and slice into smaller pieces for serving, if desired. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

Preparation time:
15 mins

Cooking time:
10 mins

Mix chicken, leek, ginger, soy sauce,
sake,
and egg in a bowl until well combined.

Spread chicken mixture evenly over the base of the pan and brown the underside.

Cut loaf into quarters, then turn the wedges over to cook the other side.

Slice chicken loaf into smaller serving portions on a chopping board.

Chicken Rolls with Spring Onions

4 chicken thighs (about 500 g or 1 lb)

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

180 ml (¾ cup) sake

2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 spring onions

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon oil

Kitchen string

1
Debone chicken thighs and place on a work surface, skin side down. Score the flesh with a sharp knife. Press on the meat to spread it out, creating an even thickness.

2
Combine ginger, 2 tablespoons sake and soy sauce in a large bowl. Coat the chicken, and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

3
Drain chicken and place skin side down on working surface. Cut spring onions to the same length as the chicken and place 3 or 4 pieces across each piece of chicken. Sprinkle with an even coating of cornstarch.

4
Roll each piece of chicken up and fasten with kitchen string, securing at both ends.

5
Heat oil in 25-cm (10-in) skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken rolls, seam side down, and cook, turning chicken frequently with tongs, until evenly browned.

6
Drain fat from skillet, leaving chicken in place, and add sake. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 7 minutes.

7
Add reserved marinade and cook chicken roll for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender.

8
To serve, remove string from meat and slice crossways in 2-cm (¾-in) thick slices and spoon pan juices over the slices.

Serves 4

Preparation time:
30 mins

Cooking time:
20 mins

Place 3 or 4 spring onion sticks across each piece of chicken.