Nikudango Amazuan (Candy and Bitter Meatball) Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101

Nikudango Amazuan (肉団子甘酢餡) are deep-fried meatballs in a shiny sweet-and-sour sauce. Nikudango actually means “meatball,” and Amazuan refers back to the sweet-and-sour glaze in Japanese. This dish is one other instance of Chinese language delicacies that has been tailored to go well with Japanese tastes, changing into a beloved staple of Japanese-style Chinese language meals. You’ll discover it on the menu at many Chinese language eating places in Japan, but it surely’s additionally a well-liked home-cooked dish—simple sufficient for a weeknight dinner and at all times satisfying.

What’s Nikudango Amazuan?

Meatball dishes exist all world wide, every with its personal distinctive seasonings and sauces. Within the U.S., there’s spaghetti and meatballs with tomato sauce. Sweden has its iconic Swedish meatballs served with creamy gravy and lingonberry jam—made much more well-known worldwide due to massive furnishings chain shops. In Japan, we now have Tsukune, tender rooster meatballs glazed with a candy and savory Teriyaki-style sauce, usually served at Yakitori eating places specializing in skewered grilled rooster.

The Amazuan sauce is made with sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, typically with a contact of ketchup relying on the recipe. It’s thickened generously with potato or cornstarch, giving it a considerable, shiny texture that adheres superbly to the meatballs. The flavour is kind of just like Subuta (Japanese-style sweet-and-sour pork), one other massively in style dish in Japanese Chinese language delicacies. So in the event you take pleasure in sweet-and-sour pork, you’re virtually assured to like this one too.

The meatballs themselves are generously sized and fried till crispy on the surface and tender on the within. You’ll be able to pan-fry them, however deep-frying is quicker and helps them hold their spherical form. It could take just a little additional prep work, however the outcomes are completely value it. As soon as coated within the shiny sweet-and-sour glaze, the meatballs look extremely appetizing—tangy, candy (however not overly so), and irresistibly flavorful. This can be a dish cherished by folks of all ages, good not just for on a regular basis dinners but in addition as a tasty appetizer or a satisfying addition to any lunchbox.

Ideas and substitutions for Nikudango Amazuan

• Cooking choices – If you need a barely lighter model, you’ll be able to pan-fry the meatballs till they’re properly browned. Simply ensure that to make use of sufficient oil in order that they crisp up on the surface—this helps obtain the best texture even with out deep-frying.
• Protein choices – Floor pork is our best choice for its wealthy taste and juiciness, however different floor meats work nicely too. Floor rooster tends to be a bit softer, so mixing it with pork or beef will help the meatballs maintain their form whereas additionally boosting taste.
• Vegetable choices – In the event you’d like so as to add additional taste and texture, you’ll be able to combine finely minced greens into the meat combination. Inexperienced onions or brown onions add a pleasant savory aroma, and water chestnuts give a terrific crunchy texture. If you wish to add greens to the dish itself, strive stir-frying onions, bell peppers, carrots, and even pineapple along with the meatballs and sauce—identical to in Subuta (sweet-and-sour pork).
• Seasoning choices – As talked about above, you’ll be able to add a small quantity of ketchup to the sauce for pure sweetness and delicate acidity. Deal with it as a refined secret taste, and don’t add an excessive amount of—you need the sauce to be balanced, not style like ketchup.

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This text is newly up to date from December 2021.

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