These skewered meatballs are a quintessential Japanese bar food, a great drinking snack that can be turned into a larger meal with rice. Flavored with plenty of garlic and ginger and brushed with a sweet-and-savory soy glaze, these meatballs are a great defense of ground chicken, which can be bland if not seasoned well.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 16 meatballs on 8 skewers

　　

Sauce:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

　　1/4 cup dry sake

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more, for seasoning

　　

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or turkey, preferably dark meat

　　1 tablespoon minced shallot

　　1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

　　1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove)

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

　　

For serving:

Sesame seeds

　　Thinly sliced scallion greens

　　Steamed rice (optional)

　　

For the sauce:

Step 1

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, sake, sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil over high heat until thickened to a glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with a fresh splash of vinegar, if you like.

　　

For the meatballs:

Step 2

Preheat the grill for at least 10 minutes, preparing to grill over moderately high heat, and soak 8 double-pronged bamboo skewers or 16 single skewers in water.

　　

Step 3

In a bowl, use your hands to mix together all of the ingredients except for the sesame seeds and scallion greens.

　　

Step 4

Form the meat mixture into 16 meatballs. Thread the meatballs onto the skewers, leaving just a little space in between and flatten slightly.

　　

Step 5

Oil the grates well and grill the meatball skewers until light grill marks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and grill for 2 minutes longer, until the outside of the meatballs looks cooked.

　　

Step 6

Brush the sauce over the meatballs, flip and brush the other side. Flip them and brush them with the sauce constantly for about 1 minute, until glazed and cooked through. If the sauce darkens too quickly, reduce the heat or move the skewers to a cooler part of the grill.

　　

To serve:

Step 7

Transfer the skewers to a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Serve over rice, if desired.