Karaage Japanese Fried Chicken
Today’s day in the kitchen started off rather unusually. When I arrived, no one was there. Rather than sit idly by, I started sharpening my knives to perfect my technique and be ready for work. When Chef Satō arrived, he announced we were leaving. We went to nearby restaurants and tried fried chicken at each one. I hadn’t expected this. As Master Satō later explained to me, making good fried chicken isn’t that simple, but he showed me a recipe that even the most discerning customers would enjoy. Meanwhile, Chef Satō reached for his set of chef’s knives and began filleting chicken thighs, which we had purchased at a nearby market on the way back.
Karaage chicken is a Japanese variation on fried chicken. It is served with a generous squeeze of lemon juice or kewpie mayonnaise. Karaage chicken is often packed into izakaya or bento boxes, as its flavor is outstanding both hot and cold, making it perfect for lunch, a party snack, a salad addition, and more!
To prepare Karaage Japanese Fried Chicken, you’ll need:
• 300g boneless chicken thighs
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sake
• 5g fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1/4 cup katakuriko potato starch
• oil
• mayonnaise
• 4 lemon wedges
Preparation:
Reach for the best kitchen knives and choose the MAC MBK-85 from the Professional series. Cut the chicken into small pieces, leaving some skin/fat for crispiness.
Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sake to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Then, coat the chicken in the mixture and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
Remove excess marinade from the chicken, then add the katakuriko potato starch and thoroughly coat the chicken.
Heat the oil in a frying pan to about 180°C (350°F). (Test the temperature by adding a pinch of flour to the oil – if it sizzles when touched, it’s ready for frying.) Fry for 3-4 minutes, until dark golden brown. Then drain the excess oil.
Serve warm or cold with lemon wedges and a drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise.
You can also use chicken breasts for this recipe, but thighs are more flavorful. I recommend trying this recipe by replacing the thighs with wings – they also taste great!
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