Merry Matsukaze - Baked Miso Chicken Recipe
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, everyone
In Japan, New Year's (shogatsu) is the biggest celebration of the year and more of a family occasion than Christmas, which is much more low-key. Quite the opposite to how things work in most Western cultures.
It is a time for people to gather with their families and reflect on the year gone and look forward to a fresh start in the new year. And a big part of the tradition is to eat an authentic Japanese dish called osechi, which involves various preserved foods, carefully prepared in advance, each symbolising something different....
Kamaboko, for example, is a boiled fish paste and is meant to represent the sun, due to it’s red or white colour and circular shape. Kuri Kinton is a sweet potato dish and the golden colour represents wealth and Matsukaze Yaki is named after a character from a Japanese Noh play and reminds us of the importance of honesty and being upfront.
The food is preserved in a box, much like a bento box, but with three tiers. You can find boxes especially suited for osechi from places like the Japan Centre.
The tradition begins on the 31st December and usually involves a simple and light meal of toshikochi soba (soba noodles in dashi soup). The long shape of the soba noodles represents the wish for a long and healthy life.
Click here for one of my favourite ways to serve soba noodles.
The recipe I’m sharing today is for Chicken Matsukaze (Baked Miso Chicken) which is made with ground chicken, miso and other delicious Japanese flavours. It’s served as small brownie-like squares which makes it perfect finger food for Christmas party canapes!
Matsukaze Chicken (Oven-baked Minced Chicken with Miso)
Serves 4
Ingredients
18 cm x 18 cm baking tin
A)
35 g Miso
1 tbsp Mirin
1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp soy sauce
B)
150 g Minced chicken thigh
150 g Minced chicken leg
30 g Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or Bread crumbs
C)
1 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp Sesame seeds
30 g Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or Bread crumbs
Method
Place all of the ingredients from list A into a big mixing bowl and mix well with a whisk. Then add the chicken and bread crumbs from list B and mix all ingredients with your hands until it gets sticky. I normally wear disposable gloves and take all precautions necessary for preparing raw chicken.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Put the miso chicken mixture into the baking tin, spread it out until flat and smooth on top with a spatula.
Pour the mirin on top and sprinkle the sesame seeds on too.
Bake for 30 minutes. Take it out the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes before removing it from the tray. Then cut into 3 cm x 3 cm size squares or bite size pieces.
It is great for a simple starter or canapé. It also fantastic idea for Bento!