Miso Ground Pork or Chicken (Niku Miso)

This a simple homestyle recipe for highly seasoned ground pork (or chicken) that keeps in the fridge for at least a week. Chris Kimball and Matt Card had it in a home kitchen in the seaside town of Kamakura, Japan.

To make it, cook 200 grams of ground pork or chicken in a skillet until no longer pink, then add 5 grams grated ginger. Next, add 15 milliliters each of sake and mirin to deglaze the pan; simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Finally, add 30-80 grams brown sugar (depending on your sweetness preference) and 100 grams of red miso. Cook for 2-3 minutes to allow all the flavors to meld. Serve over rice, udon or as a filling for onigiri.

Feel free to experiment with the ratios here. As written, this recipe produces an intensely flavorful mixture that's excellent for onigiri; however, if 100 grams of miso per 200 grams of pork sounds like a lot, start with half that (or even less) so you can adjust as needed.