We’ve been pretty fortunate that we haven’t had to worry about cooking for the past 2 weeks. Bel’s parents have been nice enough to always drop off food, and we also order take out pretty frequently so we actually haven’t touched our stove in a while.
Tonight, we decided to make chicken karaage for dinner after seeing it made on the cooking channel. The actual recipe was pretty easy, and the chicken came out moist and flavorful. And the secret ingredient: Sichimi Togarashi! Ok, even though it’s not really a secret ingredient, I’m a big fan of sichimi (a Japanese spice mixture), and I think it really gave the dish a spicy kick! Will definitely make this again!
Ingredients:
- 5-10 boneless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup potato starch flour (katakuriko), enough to coat the chicken
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- thumb size piece of fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- peanut oil or other vegetable oil, (for deep frying)
- 2 tbsp Sichimi Togarashi (optional)
- Lemon wedges to serve
Directions:
- Begin by cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces (about 2 inches).
- Peel and grate the piece of ginger.
- Put the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add the grated ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and sake, and mix well. Let marinate for a minimum of 10 minutes. Around 30 minutes is ideal.
- Toss enough potato starch into the marinated chicken (drain off a bit of the marinade if it’s too watery first) so that each piece is completely coated. Don’t worry about mixing it evenly, as the uneven coating gives each piece its unique texture.
- Heat the oil; if using a temperature-controlled fryer or a thermometer, aim for 180°C / 355°F. If not, a test with a single piece of chicken.
- Fry the chicken pieces a few at a time until deep golden brown and cooked through completely.
- Transfer the chicken to a wire rack or paper towel to drain excess oil. Immediately sprinkle with the sichimi togarashi and/or a pinch of salt to taste.
- Serve with some lemon wedges and enjoy!
sizzle sizzle… don’t overcrowd the pan!
dinner is served!
chicken karaage!