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Japanese Meatballs

Inspired by the popularity of street food and a fusion of flavours, these chicken and sushi rice ‘meatballs’ are irresistibly good. Whether you heat up the indoor griddle or fire up the outdoor grill, these skewers of goodness will be quickly devoured. They can also easily be made gluten-free.

Japanese Meatballs




Yield
Makes 18-20 meatballs


Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) miso paste
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) grated ginger
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) sesame oil
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced and divided
  • 2 cups (500 mL) cooked U.S. sushi rice
  • 1 lb (454 g) ground chicken
  • 20 (4 to 5-inch/10-12 cm) skewers, soaked
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Sweet Soy Glaze:

  • ¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) seasoned rice vinegar*

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together miso paste, mayonnaise, cornstarch, ginger, sesame oil, egg, garlic, and green onion; fold in rice and ground chicken.
  2. Mold about 3 tbsp (45 mL) of the mixture around each skewer to form an oval shape. (If mixture is too soft, cover and let chill for 30 minutes)
  3. Grill on oiled and preheated barbecue or grill pan over medium high heat, turning periodically until fully cooked, about 20 minutes.

Sweet Soy Glaze:

  1. Combine maple syrup, soy sauce and vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to simmer for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Drizzle glaze over cooked meatballs and sprinkle with remaining sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Gluten-free if miso, mayonnaise, soy sauce and rice vinegar are gluten-free.

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