Tsukune (つくね) are Japanese rooster meatballs served in a variety of izakayas/Japanese pubs. Though rooster is the meat of alternative for tsukune, we’re able to make tsukune with all types of drugs.
Presently, I’m going to introduce a recipe to make tsukune with tofu and octopus. I normally serve these tofu and octopus meatballs (たこと豆腐のつくね) with ponzu sauce and sliced onions and scallions, nonetheless it’s best to profit from utterly completely different dipping sauce of your alternative.
Elements for Tofu and Octopus Meatballs
For the meatballs, we want:
- firm tofu
- octopus
- egg
- katakuriko/potato starch or cornstarch
- grated garlic
- rooster inventory powder
For the dipping sauce, we want:
Prepping Octopus
You may need to use newest or frozen octopus, nonetheless I normally go along with already cleaned frozen octopus, which implies they not have inside organs or beaks. I thaw the packet of frozen octopus in a single day all through the fridge prior to utilizing it.
Should you begin with newest octopus, you will get your fishmonger to rearrange the octopus for you. In each different case, please take away the within organs and beaks out of your octopuses prior to utilizing.
To keep away from losing a variety of effort and time, you should buy a packet of boiled octopus (ゆでたこ) inside the event you don’t should put collectively octopus from scratch.
Easy methods to Put collectively dinner Tofu and Octopus Meatballs
1. Prep tofu
Pat dry tofu with kitchen paper, lower it into small objects, and mash it with a fork/masher or your fingers.
2. Prep octopus
Boil a pot of water and blanch octopus till they flip crimson. Take away the octopus from the pot and plunge them correct proper right into a bowl of ice water. Pressure them and chop them into small objects.
TIPS: Should you purchase a boiled octopus, skip the cooking portion and chop it into small objects.
3. Meatball combine
Mix mashed tofu with chopped octopus, egg, katakuriko, grated garlic, and rooster inventory powder.
4. Fry meatballs
Warmth oil in a frying pan over medium-high warmth. Kind tablespoonfuls of tofu and octopus combination into spherical patties and fry till golden brown. Put collectively them on a serving plate.
Ponzu Dipping Sauce
These meatballs are good with the straightforward ponzu dipping sauce.
In the reduction of half an onion and a few scallions into skinny slices. Divide them into 4 small bowls, one per particular particular person.
Pour ponzu sauce into every bowl and blend efficiently with the onion and scallions prior to serving.
Should you want a saltier sauce, please add additional salt to fit your mannequin.
Easy methods to Serve Tofu and Octopus Meatballs
Garnish meatballs with thinly sliced scallions and serve them with ponzu dipping sauce.
Should you want store-bought sauce, the meatballs are furthermore good with okonomiyaki or takoyaki sauce.
If in case you’ve got some tonkatsu sauce mendacity spherical, you could too use it on account of the dipping sauce for these meatballs.
Since tsukune/meatballs are a staple in Japanese pubs, don’t overlook to serve these meatballs with chilly beer.