Fried Mushroom Chicken

• 24 small dried mushrooms
• 1/2 pound ground raw chicken
• 2 tablespoons onion, chopped fine
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon shoyu
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 tablespoons salad oil
• Toasted sesame seed

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons shoyu
• 3 tablespoons mirin

Soak mushrooms for 10 minutes in warm water; dry thoroughly and remove stems.

Combine chicken, onion, salt, shoyu and cornstarch. Mix well and form into patties. Top with mushrooms—top side up.

Heat oil in frying pan, place patties mushroom-side down. Brown slightly, turn and cook until chicken is slightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towel.

To prepare sauce, bring shoyu and mirin to a boil in a sauce pan. Cook slowly till it begins to thicken. Dip mushroom side in sauce, arrange in greased baking pan and finish cooking in the oven for 15 minutes at 350°. Pour a little of the remaining sauce on each patty and sprinkle with toasted sesame seed before serving.

VARIATIONS: Any of the following garnishes may be used — chopped nuts, poppy seed, chili powder, paprika, or finely chopped parsley. Instead of chicken, fish may be substituted.