Karaage Chicken Food

KARAAGE (JAPANESE FRIED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Mix garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sesame oil, black pepper, cayenne, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Place chicken in the marinade and mix until thoroughly and evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 10 hours.
• Set up your dredging station: Place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Add potato starch to a wide, shallow bowl.
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Stir to coat with marinade. Toss 2 or 3 pieces at a time in the potato starch until evenly coated. Shake off any excess starch and place chicken on the wire rack. Repeat to dredge remaining pieces.
• Tap the rack on the baking sheet to remove any loose chunks of starch, then transfer the baking sheet and rack of chicken to the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Without crowding, lower chicken carefully into the hot oil in batches. Fry, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and the outside is crunchy and browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken.

CHICKEN KARAGE

Steps:

• Mix together the potato starch, togarashi, garlic, ginger, sake, soy sauce and egg in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat fully. Heat a large saucepan with about 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat to about 375 degrees F. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through.

JAPANESE FRIED CHICKEN (CHICKEN KARAAGE)

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken, cut off any excess fat and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Using a sharp knife, score the chicken, especially in fibrous parts of the meat. Use the point of the knife to poke small holes in the chicken, then cut the chicken in bite-size (1 1/2-inch) pieces.
• In a mixing bowl combine the chicken, sake, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well, rubbing the marinade into the chicken. Marinate for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Add the egg slowly to the chicken while mixing with your hands. Add the cornstarch and lightly toss to coat the chicken. In a medium saucepan heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer reads 335 degrees F. Fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, until golden brown, about 10 minutes (the internal temperature of the meat should be 165 degrees F). Shake off any excess grease. Cool and reserve the oil for another use. Plate the chicken and garnish with lemon wedges to serve.

KARAAGE (JAPANESE FRIED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• In a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the chicken, combine ginger, garlic, sake, soy sauce and sugar. Toss chicken pieces in marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
• Fill an aluminum or thin stainless steel pot (best for quick temperature adjustments), with sides at least 5 inches tall, with about 3 inches of peanut oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Place several layers of newsprint or paper towels on a sheet pan.
• While the oil heats, place a wire rack over a second sheet pan. In a bowl, combine potato starch, salt and pepper. Remove one piece of chicken at a time from marinade, and tuck in any jagged bits or skin as you roll it in starch mixture to coat. Rest it on the rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
• Gently shake off excess potato starch before cooking each piece of chicken. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time, keeping oil temperature around 325 degrees (temperature will fall when you add chicken) and no lower than 300 degrees. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oil using a wire-mesh spoon or long chopsticks, and cool on newsprint or paper towels.
• When all the chicken has been fried once, increase the oil's temperature to 375 degrees. Fry chicken pieces a second time, keeping the oil between 350 and 375 degrees, until the crust is deep golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on newsprint or paper towels. This second frying makes the coating stay extra crisp, even if you don't serve it immediately.
• Serve hot or at room temperature, with a lemon wedge, and lettuce and cucumber slices for a cool, fresh contrast, if you like.