Rika's Tokyo Cuisine: Chicken Tsukune Rice Burger - Dining with the Chef

Chef Rika shares modern Japanese flavors: a juicy chicken tsukune rice burger, and sweet-and-savory bell pepper kimpira—fresh twists on classic dishes that you'll want to try at home.

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★Chicken Tsukune Rice Burger

Ingredients (Serves 2)
300 g ground chicken
20 g naganegi long onion
10 g ginger
1 egg white
Shiso leaves, as needed
1 tsp potato starch
Sansho pepper, to taste
3 g coarse sea salt
1 tsp sugar

300 g cooked rice
2 tsp potato starch
30 g frilly lettuce
Sesame oil, as needed
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
Mayonnaise, as needed

Teriyaki sauce:
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar

Directions
1. Shape cooked rice mixed with potato starch into patties and pan fry for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. Mix soy sauce and sugar to make a sauce, then brush it onto the patties.
3. Combine ground chicken with finely chopped naganegi, shiso, grated ginger, and seasonings. Shape into balls and steam-fry in a pan for about 10 minutes.
4. In a separate pan make teriyaki sauce by combining sake, mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Simmer until reduced by half.
5. Place lettuce and tsukune between rice buns, then glaze with the teriyaki sauce and spread mayonnaise on the tsukune to finish.


★Bell Pepper Kimpira

Ingredients (Serves 4)
150 g yellow bell pepper
150 g red bell pepper
Sesame oil, as needed
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Seasonings:
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake

Directions
1. Heat thinly sliced bell peppers in a frying pan with sesame oil until they become tender.
2. Add sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar, let everything blend together, then finish by sprinkling in sesame seeds.