Karaage
Photography Josh Griggs.
The key to outrageously crunchy karaage is frying the chicken twice – totally worth the effort!
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
MARINADE
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons caster sugar
700 grams boneless chicken thighs, skin-on if you like
TO COOK AND SERVE
2 cups potato starch (I bought mine at an Asian supermarket)
3 cups vegetable oil
½ cup Japanese mayonnaise, e.g., Kewpie
togarashi seasoning or sea salt
EQUIPMENT: Line an oven tray with baking paper and a cooling rack with scrunched-up kitchen towels.
METHOD
MARINADE: Put everything except the chicken in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Remove the skin from the chicken or leave it on. Traditionally it is left on, but I prefer it removed. Cut each thigh into 2-3 pieces. Add the chicken to the marinade and mix well to ensure each piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
TO COOK: Use tongs or chopsticks to drop the chicken into the potato starch and coat well, then put on the lined tray until needed.
Heat the oil in a large pot until a piece of bread dropped in rises to the surface and turns golden in about 30 seconds.
Fry the chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through. Drain on the kitchen towels, then use a slotted spoon to scoop out any batter that has dropped off into the oil. Fry the chicken a second time, just for a minute, until golden and super-crunchy.
Serve immediately with Japanese mayonnaise and a sprinkling of togarashi seasoning and/or sea salt.
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We start by sharing what’s on the dish team’s radar, what we’re watching, listening to and reading. Harry Butterfield puts a twist on his Nonna’s agnolotti, Malissa Fedele reminds us of the importance of fibre, and Phoebe Holden fulfils a long-held dream, sitting down with Yotam Ottolenghi. Autumn is an abundant time, we make the most with pumpkin, kūmara, cabbage, cauliflower, feijoas, apples and pears. We’re dishing up dinners for two, including a Chicken Dumpling Lasagne, alongside easy weeknight meals. We honour our mums, revisit timeless classics, and add a little baking challenge. This issue, we encourage you to slow down, to enjoy writing your shopping list, and spending time in the kitchen. Because even when life feels relentless, there’s always space to share something delicious.