Karaage - 唐揚げ

• servings: 4-6

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ~1.5 inch pieces as preferred

3 garlic cloves, grated

1 inch knob ginger, grated

1 egg, beaten

30 g sake

15 g soy sauce

10 g white sugar

10 g salt

20 g potato / corn starch for marinade, 150g for breading

30 g flour for breading

Canola, Vegetable, or Peanut oil for frying

Directions

Combine the cut chicken thighs, ginger, garlic, beaten egg, sake, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and 20 g of starch to a container with a cover. Make sure everything is mixed together well. Once mixed, cover and put in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, up to overnight.

Begin preheating the oil in a large pot / wok over medium heat until it reaches 350 F.

Mix your 150 g of starch and 30 g of flour into a large bowl. Remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the starch coating. Once well mixed and there are no more wet spots on the chicken, add the chicken to a colander / strainer to shake off any excess small particles not sticking to the chicken. This will ensure less small burnt particles you’ll need to fish out in the frying process.

With the oil at 350 F, and our chicken breaded and ready, we begin our first fry. Fry in batches to not overcrowd the pot, anticipating that adding the chicken in will reduce the temperature of the oil. This first fry is for 2-3 minutes, until they’re lightly golden brown. Place fried pieces over a wire rack set over a baking sheet.

Once everything has been fried once, they are all fried once again at 350 F. This fry is also for 2-3 minutes, or until each batch becomes deeply golden brown and crispy.

Serve with lemon wedges or any dipping sauce. An example is listed in the last step. Kewpie mayo would also be traditional

Example dipping sauce: 50 g soy sauce, 30 g rice vinegar, 15 g mirin, 15 g sugar, 15 g sriracha / gochujang paste, bit of grated ginger, sliced scallions to finish.

Notes

Special Tools Recommended:

Kitchen scale for weighing ingredients

Large pot / wok for deep frying

Thermometer capable of reaching above 350 F to monitor oil temperature.

Wire rack over baking sheet

Spyder to skim breading particles and chicken out of oil

Large bowl and tongs to toss marinated chicken

Colander or strainer to shake excess coating off breaded chicken prior to frying.

Description:

Traditional Japanese style fried chicken, this karaage recipe is double fried using a starch based coating. The first fry and resting period allows the chicken to dry out even more, allowing the second fry to make things extra crispy. Marinated in sake and other things, this fried chicken has a light taste on its own but pairs well with lemon wedges or various dipping sauces, one of which is specified at the end of the recipe.