Chicken karaage

Method

1. 01

   Cut and portion the chicken

   Trim only excess fat from 600 g boneless, skin-on chicken thighs and cut them into even 4 cm pieces. Use a dedicated raw-chicken board and knife; wash hands and clean and sanitize the tools before touching other foods.

   

2. 02

   Marinate for 30 minutes

   Add 30 ml soy sauce, 15 ml sake, 5 g grated ginger, 5 g grated garlic, 5 ml sesame oil, 4 g salt, and 1 g pepper. Massage until absorbed, cover, and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for 30 minutes. Discard all marinade that touched raw chicken.

   

3. 03

   Build the coating station

   Put 40 g flour and 80 g potato starch in separate shallow dishes. Drain each marinated chicken piece, coat lightly in flour, then coat in potato starch and shake off loose powder. Keep the coated pieces on a clean tray away from the raw-chicken tray.

   

4. 04

   First fry in batches

   Heat 1.5 L neutral oil in a deep pot to 160°C. Fry only 3–5 chicken pieces per batch, leaving space, for about 90 seconds until the crust is pale gold and the pieces are not yet deeply browned. Keep the oil near 160°C between batches.

   

5. 05

   Drain and rest safely

   Lift each first-fried batch with a clean spider and drain on a wire rack for 2 minutes, then rest it for 3 minutes while the next batch cooks. Skim loose crumbs and never return cooked chicken to a tray or utensil that held raw chicken.

   

6. 06

   Second fry to 74°C

   Raise the oil to 180°C and fry the same batches again for 60–90 seconds until deeply golden and crisp. Check the thickest piece with a clean thermometer; the centre must reach at least 74°C. Keep the batches small so the oil stays hot.

   

7. 07

   Drain without softening

   Transfer the second-fried chicken to a clean wire rack for 2 minutes. Do not stack or seal it while steaming; verify another thick piece is at least 74°C and use clean tongs for the cooked food.

   

8. 08

   Serve on cabbage

   Tear 60 g clean green cabbage leaves into large pieces, arrange the hot crisp karaage on them, and serve immediately. Keep the plate limited to fried chicken and cabbage leaves so the finished appearance matches the documented dish.