Craving restaurant-style Japanese karaage? Discover the secret to making it at home with this authentic recipe. Say goodbye to takeout and hello to saving a couple bucks!
History of Karaage
Karaage is a Japanese deep-fried marinated chicken. It's deep-fried, a cooking methods introduced to Japan by the Chinese during Edo period (1603-1868).
The term "karaage" originates from the word "karai" (辛い) in Japanese, which means "spicy" or "strongly seasoned."Typically, karaage is made by cutting small pieces of a protein and seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, garlic to be deep-fried. The marinade was useful in multiple ways, such as for tenderizing and giving it flavor.
Karaage is now widely available in restaurants across Japan. Chicken karaage is the most popular version, but there are also other variations, such as, pork shrimp, and squid.
Today karaage is made with a light coating of potato starch or cornstarch before frying, leading to an extra crispy texture. The dish is typically served with lemon wedges, shredded cabbage, or a drizzle of Japanese mayonnaise for dipping.
My Inspiration Behind This
College will forever hold a close place in my heart. It was the time in my life where I truly discovered myself, legit I didn't have a personality before then. I was super sheltered growing up, naive to the world. I wanted to pick a university that would help me not only venture out but that would also bring me back to my roots. Although my household was pretty "Chinese", my surroundings were never that. I found myself yearning to be more like the people around me rather than embracing myself.
College did exactly want I wanted it to do plus a whole lot more. I didn't only find life long friends that gave me the support to discover myself, but ones that showed me what it's like to be proud of my culture. One of the best things, was going out to eat on calm weekend with my suite-mates. I always loved asian food, but being on campus made me truly miss and appreciate it. Luckily enough, there were a good amount of Asian restaurants near my campus. Three years later, I still miss some of the dishes, not only for it's flavor but the nostalgic memories it beings me back to being able to enjoy a comforting meal with some of my greatest friends. I wanted to recreate this Japanese Chicken Karaage from this place called Iron Ramen. Unlike some other karaage orders, this karaage don was jam packed with juicy, tender, crispy chicken. It had an untraditional twist of having a drizzle of spicy mayo, that really binds the whole meal together. This meal reminds me of one of my dearest friends, because we would get the same order, and save half to eat for dinner! I tend to like to put meaning and memories behind the dishes I make, and hopefully by you recreating these recipes, you can create memories of your own!
Karaage vs. American Fried Chicken
Japanese karaage and American fried chicken are both delicious but differ in a lot of elements that make them unique.
Flavor and Seasoning:
Japanese Karaage: Karaage is typically marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, and cooking wine. This marinade develops a umami flavor to the chicken. American Fried Chicken is often seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, etc. This leans towards a chicken with a savory and slightly spicy flavor profile.
Coating and Texture:
Japanese Karaage is coated in potato starch or cornstarch, which results in a light and crispy exterior. American Fried Chicken is coated in flour and spices and/or breadcrumbs, which leads to a thicker crunchier breading.
Commonly Asked Questions:
What can I use if I don't have potato starch or cornstarch?
Arrowroot Starch:
Arrowroot starch is another gluten-free thickening agent derived from the roots of the arrowroot plant. It has a similar texture to cornstarch and potato starch, making it a suitable substitute for potato flour in recipes that need thickening. Use arrowroot starch in a 1:1 ratio as a replacement for potato flour.
Tapioca Starch (Tapioca Flour):
Tapioca starch, also known as tapioca flour, is extracted from the cassava root. It has a light texture and is often used in gluten-free baking to add chewiness and improve texture. Tapioca starch can be used as a substitute for potato flour in recipes that require thickening or as part of a gluten-free flour blend. Use it in equal amounts as potato flour in the recipe.
Rice Flour:
Rice flour is a gluten-free flour made from finely ground rice grains. While it has a different texture than potato flour, it can be used as a substitute in certain recipes, especially in gluten-free baking. Keep in mind that rice flour may not provide the same density or moisture content as potato flour, so adjustments may be needed in the recipe.
Why is my breading not sticking to my chicken?
Moisture on the Chicken:
Excess moisture on the surface of the chicken can prevent the breading from sticking. Make sure to pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels before dredging them in the breading mixture.
Lack of Adhesive:
If you're using a dry breading mixture without any adhesive, such as eggs or a batter, the breading may not stick well. Consider dipping the chicken pieces in beaten eggs or a seasoned flour-and-water batter before coating them with the breading.
Oil Temperature:
If you're frying the chicken, ensure that the oil is at the correct temperature before adding the breaded chicken pieces. If the oil is too hot, it can cause the breading to brown quickly and may not adhere well to the chicken.
Prefer to Watch? Click here: Restaurant Style Japanese Karaage
Restaurant Style Japanese Karaage
Total Time: 2 hours | Servings: 2 | Level: Easy |
Cuisine: Japanese
Course: Appetizer, Snack, Lunch, Dinner
***Disclaimer: Commission is received from purchases made through linked products, but NO extra charge comes out of your pocket for it! This is just what allows me keep my blog running, because I truly do have a passion for sharing free homemade recipes for you guys to recreate at home.The products linked are in no way sponsored, and are just the ones I stand by and use in my recipes. Thank you for the support!
Equipment:
Portable Fryer (I like using this to save on oil and mess! It's more narrow and deep, which leads to me using less oil and barely any splatter! I always feel guilty when frying, because I feel like I'm wasting a lot of oil, and this helps ease the guilt!) **Not sponsored, but definitely recommended.
Ingredients:
Chicken:
2 Chicken thighs, medium bite size pieces (350g)
Cornstarch or potato starch (20g)
Vegetable oil for deep frying or any neutral oil
Marinade:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp cooking wine
1tsp mirin
2 tsp ginger powder
Sauce:
3 tbsp sriracha
1/4 cup Japanese mayo
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
Garnish & Sides:
Shredded lettuce or cabbage
Parsley
Lemon wedge
White rice, I like to top mine with Furikake Rice Seasoning for extra flavor!
Directions:
Wash your chicken and pat chicken pieces dry. Once dry, place the chicken thigh pieces and marinade ingredients together, mix until well combined. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
After an hour it's time to coat the chicken! Shake excess marinade off the chicken, and fully coat the chicken in cornstarch or potato starch. Do this one at a time to ensure each piece is fully coated.
Heat enough oil in a deep pot or pan to 160°C/350°F and fry chicken in batches. Make sure the chicken isn't touching or else they can end up sticking. We also don't want to over crowd the pan, because it can lower the oil temperature, which leads to soggy chicken. I fry around 4-5 pieces at a time, you can refer to my tutorial for visual reference. Fry for about 3-4 minutes, until a medium brown. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces until it's all fried.
Serve immediately!You can enjoy it as is, but I love it as a karaage don. I place the fresh and hot chicken over a bed of rice and drizzle on some spicy mayo to make it a full meal!
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Thank you!
I hope you enjoyed this post and give this recipe a try! If you have any feed back, please leave a message down below. I would be more than excited to read them or to answer any questions you have!
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