A popular dish among Japanese families, these meat-patty skewers are typically grilled over charcoal and traditionally served in yakitori restaurants (restaurants serving grilled Japanese skewers). They are more commonly made with chicken but this version uses a mixture of beef and pork mince. Easy, quick and tasty, these mini burgers are guaranteed crowd pleasers. Making teriyaki sauce from scratch is a breeze in the Thermomix and with a significantly reduced amount of sugar compared to store-bought, it is well worth the (non)effort.

Teriyaki Sauce
Garnish
Tsukune
Method
- For the teriyaki sauce, place all ingredients in mixing bowl and cook 15 minutes/100 degrees/speed 2 without measuring cup; then cook a further 5 minutes/Varoma/speed 2 without measuring cup. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Clean and dry mixing bowl.
- For the tsukune, place basil in mixing bowl and chop 3 seconds/speed 7. Add onion and celery and mince 5 seconds/speed 5. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and mince again 3 seconds/speed 5.
- Add egg, flour, salt, pepper and minced meats then mix 15 seconds/Reverse/speed 5.
- Shape this mixture into round patties about 5 centimetres in diameter.
- Cook patties on a lightly oiled hotplate until nicely brown on both sides and cooked through.
- Thread 2 patties on each skewer and dip in the teriyaki sauce before serving sprinkled with sansho or sichuan pepper; accompany with lemon wedges and steamed rice.
AND… Vegie smuggler alert: in Step 3, along with the onion and celery, you may sneak in other vegetables such as carrot, shiitake mushroom, leek or zucchini. The patties (you can make them into sausage shapes instead) can be served with a miso dressing or simply with salt and pepper instead of the teriyaki sauce.
Everyday Harumi, Harumi Kurihara (Conran, 2016)