Nikumisuo Recipe, by Tim Anderson - Magic Mince, Three Ways
by Tim Anderson
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Easy
This is a recipe for nikumiso (‘meat miso’), slightly rejigged from a recipe in Your Home Izakaya. My colleague Tim Hayward (the original and best Tim) once called this ‘magic mince’ because of its addictive deliciousness and versatility. Traditionally, you’d just have this on rice or noodles, but it has innumerable uses – hence the big batch size! Freeze some for later, in any of the suggested recipes below, or however you see fit.
Ingredients for Magic Mince
- 3 tablespoons oil (lard or dripping works well, too)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 40g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1kg minced meat (any kind you like, but leaner mince is better)
- 100g miso
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 4 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce or tonkatsu sauce
How to make Magic Mince
- Heat the oils in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8–10 minutes until softened and browned slightly. Add the ginger, garlic and mince, increase the heat to high and break up the mince into small crumbles. When the mince is cooked through, add the miso and stir through. Turn up the heat to high and keep cooking for about 5 minutes, so the meat and miso caramelise slightly, then add all of the remaining ingredients along with a splash of water. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the meat is coated in a sticky glaze.
Magic Mince 1: Sloppy Joes
- Dice 1 small carrot, 1 celery stick and 1 red (bell) pepper. Heat some vegetable or olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the veg. Sauté until softened, 8–10 minutes. Stir in 300 g (10½ oz) magic mince, 150 g (5½ oz) tinned beans or lentils and 400 ml (14 fl oz/generous 1½ cups) passata. Cook until the mixture is thick and jammy, stirring frequently. At the end, season to taste with any or all of the following: Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, barbecue sauce, ketchup, tonkatsu sauce, Tabasco, salt and pepper. To serve, scoop a big ladleful of the mixture into lightly toasted burger buns. It keeps for a few days in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer, and reheats well in the microwave.
- MAKE IT VEGAN. Soy mince or crumbled cotton tofu works great here. If you’re using dehydrated soy mince, it will roughly triple in weight when rehydrated, so use about 330 g (11 oz) dried weight. The oyster sauce can be omitted or replaced with mushroom sauce. Use tonkatsu sauce (ensuring its vegan), instead of Worcestershire sauce.
Magic Mince 2: Spice Sesame Noodles
- Divide 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons tahini, 2 table- spoons sesame seeds, 1–2 tablespoons chilli oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons sesame oil between two noodle bowls. Stir the sauce well in each bowl, then cook and drain 2 portions of noodles – any kind you like, but ramen or udon work best. Rinse the noodles under running water, then drain and divide between the bowls. Mix well, then top with a big spoonful of magic mince (about 60 g/2 oz between the two bowls) and garnish with coriander (cilantro), julienned cucumber, sliced spring onions (scallions), bamboo shoots and plenty of chilli oil.
Magic Mince 3: Keema Curry
- Simply add the magic mince to any prepared curry sauce you like – you will need about 100–120 g (3½–4 oz) magic mince per portion. Alternatively, you can make a simple dry curry: combine 100 g (3½ oz) magic mince with ½–1 tablespoon curry powder (depending on how strong/spicy you want it) and a glass of water in a pan. Set over a medium heat, bring to the boil and cook out the spices, stirring often, until the water evaporates completely. Scale up the quantities here to make as many portions as you need.
About the author
Tim Anderson is an award-winning chef, writer, and the brilliant mind behind London’s popular ramen izakaya, Nanban. Originally from Wisconsin, Tim’s passion for Japanese food began as a hobby but quickly evolved into a career after winning MasterChef in 2011. With over 20 years of immersion in Japanese food culture, including time spent living in Fukuoka, Tim has authored beloved cookbooks like JapanEasy, Vegan JapanEasy, and the award-winning Tokyo Stories. His work celebrates authentic Japanese flavours with a fresh and accessible twist.
