Japanese Chicken Tsukune and Wakame Stew

Ingredients

• 100 g or a handful of fresh
• pre-boiled wakame (or about 20 g dried
• or 1/3 cup salted)
• 200 g ground chicken (1/2 lb)
• 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 spring onion (negi) or onion
• minced
• 1 egg
• beaten
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cups Japanese soup stock/dashi
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp sake

Instructions

1. How to prepare wakame: If using fresh, pre-boiled wakame, simple rinse well and cut into smaller pieces.
2. For dried wakame, add about 20 g to a medium bowl and cover with plenty of warm water.
3. It seems like a tiny amount but it will triple or quadruple in size!
4. Let soak for a few minutes until it's rehydrated.
5. Drain well.
6. For salted wakame, wash off the salt and place into a strainer or colander.
7. Pour boiling water over the wakame then rinse with cold water and cut into smaller pieces.
8. Prepare the soup stock by adding dashi, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 3 Tablespoons soy sauce and 2 Tablespoons sake into your cooking pot.
9. Make the meatballs next.
10. Mix together chicken, minced naganegi/onion, grated ginger, 1/2 Tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and beaten egg.
11. Mix well.
12. Make 1-inch/3 cm meatballs (about a Tablespoon each) until all chicken is used up.
13. Bring the soup to a boil and add the meatballs to the pot.
14. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, turning them over after 2-3 minutes.
15. Add the prepared wakame and cook until it's just heated.
16. Divide the meatballs and wakame into bowls and pour over some of the soup.
17. Serve and enjoy.