Juicy and Fluffy Japanese Chicken Tsukune Don

In a large glass bowl, combine 400g ground chicken and 1/2 tsp salt, mixing well with a spatula until sticky. Then add 1 egg, 1 chopped green onion, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, and 80g Japanese yam paste, mixing until well combined.

Take 1 eggplant, remove the stem, cut into short pieces and halve them. Use the tip of the knife to make diagonal cuts for a fan shape and gently press to adjust; also prepare 8 blanched and cooled okra cut into small pieces.

In a blender, put 2 tbsp sake, 2 tbsp mirin, 2.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 clove garlic, 5g ginger, and 1/4 apple, and blend into a puréed sauce.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add some olive oil, and place the eggplant skin-side down; drizzle with a little olive oil, add the blanched okra, sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper, pan-fry until both sides are golden brown, then remove and keep warm.

Heat the skillet over medium-low heat, add a little oil, scoop portions of the meat filling with a spoon and place in the pan; flip when the bottom is golden brown, and cook until the other side is golden and springs back to the touch, indicating it is cooked; then pour in the sauce, spooning it over the meatballs while simmering until the sauce reduces and thickens.

Scoop 4 cups of steamed rice into a wooden bowl, drizzle the sauce from the pan over the rice, arrange the pan-fried eggplant and okra, place the chicken meatballs on top, drizzle with more sauce, and garnish with white sesame seeds and a little green onion.