A hambagu is the Japanese equivalent of the hamburger steak, but designed to be eaten with rice. It is usually made with a combination of ground beef and pork, but it can also be made with ground chicken. With today’s recipe, we will employ a few key techniques to shape the patties into a hambagu which is served with rice.
You can easily switch the chicken to a combination of 70% ground beef and 30% pork to make beef hambagu, or if you shape them into smaller balls, they become chicken tsukune! Whatever it is, the patties and rice combine well with a delicious sweet and savory soy sauce reduction made with Kikkoman soy sauce that gives it that lovely fragrance that we all enjoy!
Ingredients
Since the 1960s, Kikkoman has maintained a factory in Singapore, where they continue to brew their soy sauce using the traditional method, incorporating only four essential ingredients: soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. The traditional process involves slow and natural fermentation of soybeans, imparting the sauce with a delightful and distinctive flavor.
Recipe Card
Makes: 3 x Patties
Prep Time: 40 mins Cooking Time: 30 mins
Chicken thigh meat (ground) 400g
Salt 1 tsp
Grated ginger 1 tsp
Minced garlic 1 tsp
Onion diced 1 small
Egg 1/2
Panko 1/4 Cup
Oil 1 Tbsp
Soy Glaze
Kikkoman Soy Sauce 50ml
Sake 50ml
Mirin 50ml
Water 50ml
Sugar 2 Tbsp
Method
1. Chop up chicken thigh meat into a mince and mix all the ingredients into the ground chicken meat.
2. Using your hands, keep kneading the mince in one direction until all the meat comes together and develops some bounce.
3. Slap the meat a few times by lifting it and throwing it into the bowl. This will help to develop that bouncy texture. If it is still a little wet, add extra panko and continue to knead until it comes together.
4. Divide the meat into three patties, shaping them into an oval shape.
5. Heat a pan on low heat and place the patties gently onto the pan
6. Flip the patties once they develop and nice golden brown crust. Should take 2-3 mins
7. Pan fry for another 2 minutes to develop the crust on the underside
8. Once both sides have developed a golden brown crust, add all the ingredients for the soy glaze into the pan and cover.
9. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the patties become firm and have reached an internal temperature of 70°C.
10. Remove patties and turn up the heat to reduce the soy glaze
11. Place the hamburg on top of the rice, and drizzle soy glaze.
12. Optional: Add grated daikon and raw pasteurized egg yolk
Conclusion
You are going to love the tender and juicy patty made from this recipe and the delicious soy sauce glaze that brings the rice, meat and egg yolk together into a tasty mouthful. It is a recipe you can make for any time of the year, even on festive occasions!
Other festive recipes using Kikkoman sauces you might want to try:
- Soy Pineapple Glazed Ham
- BBQ Beef Shortribs
- Honey Soy Pork Ribs
- BBQ Soy Sauce Prawns
- Japanese Beef Stew
Click here for the Youtube playlist of the all the recipes.
Disclosure: This post is written in partnership with Kikkoman.
