ground meat & hijiki wrapped in deep-fried tofu pouch

ingredients:

• 2 deep-fried tofu pouch
• (about 3 in. x 6 in.)
• 3 1/2 ounces ground chicken
• 1/8 ounce dried hijiki
• 2 cups water for soaking hijiki
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon sake
• a little salt
• a little soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons potato starch (katakuriko)
• 1 cup hot water

soup:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon sake
• 1 cup bonito soup stock

step 1:

Soak the dried hijiki in the 2 cups of water in a bowl for 30 minutes. Remove and drain.

step 2:

Mix the ground chicken, hijiki, grated ginger, sake, potato starch, salt and soy sauce in a big bowl. Form into 4 balls.

step 3:

Cut the deep-fried tofu pouches in half.

step 4:

Roll a chopstick over each deep-fried tofu pouch to make it easier to open. Gently open each to make a deep bag.

step 5:

Put the deep-fried tofu pouches on a colander and pour the hot water over them. After they have cooled, squeeze the water from them.

step 6:

Put one meat mixture ball into each of the four deep-fried tofu pouches. Close the top of each pouch with a short wooden or metal cooking stick.

step 7:

To make the soup, put the bonito soup stock, soy sauce, sugar and sake in a pan. Bring to a boil. Add the tofu pouches and simmer for about 13 minutes on medium heat.