Chicken Karaage

Ingredients

• 700 g boneless chicken thighs, skin on if available, cut into 4 cm pieces
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin, or 2 tsp sugar mixed with 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• ½ cup cornflour (cornstarch)
• ¼ cup plain flour (maida)
• 750 ml neutral cooking oil, for frying
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise, to serve
• 1 tsp lemon juice, to mix into the mayonnaise
• 200 g white cabbage, finely shredded, to serve

Instructions

1. Put the chicken in a bowl with the soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and pepper. Mix well with your hands, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
2. Take the chicken out of the fridge. Stir in the beaten egg until the pieces look evenly glossy and no large pool of liquid remains.
3. Mix the cornflour and plain flour on a plate. Set a wire rack over a tray next to it.
4. Pour the oil into a deep heavy pan so it is about 5 cm deep. Heat to 170°C. Without a thermometer, a small cube of bread should sizzle steadily and turn golden in about 40 seconds.
5. Press each piece of chicken into the flour mix, coating all sides, then shake off the excess. Coat only as many pieces as you will fry in one batch, because the coating turns pasty if it sits.
6. Fry the first batch, 5–6 pieces at a time, for 4 minutes, turning once or twice. The crust should be pale golden and set. Lift onto the wire rack and rest while you coat and fry the remaining batches the same way.
7. Once all batches are fried, raise the oil to 190°C. Return the chicken in batches and fry for 1–2 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp.
8. Drain on the rack. Cut the largest piece open to check it is white throughout with clear juices, or 74°C at the centre.
9. Stir the lemon juice into the mayonnaise. Serve the karaage hot with lemon wedges, the mayonnaise and the shredded cabbage.

Tips

• Use thigh meat. Breast works but dries out faster, so cut the pieces slightly larger and fry for a little less time.
• Do not drain the marinade completely. The egg and remaining marinade help the coating cling, but too much loose liquid makes the crust patchy.
• Fry in small batches. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and gives greasy, soft chicken.
• Resting between the two fries lets the inside finish cooking gently, which is why the second fry makes the crust so crisp.