Chicken Karaage

Ingredients

• 450 gchicken, boneless thighs, skin on, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbspfresh ginger, grated
• 1 clovegarlic, minced
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspsake
• 2 tspgranulated sugar
• 1/3 cuppotato starch, for coating; cornstarch works if you can't find it
• vegetable oil, enough for 1 inch of depth in a heavy pot, roughly 2–3 cups
• 1lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Whisk together the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sake, and sugar in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. 2

   Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of 1 inch. Heat to 360°F (182°C). Line a wire rack with paper towels.

3. 3

   Put the potato starch in a bowl. Add the marinated chicken in handfuls and toss to coat each piece evenly.

4. 4

   Fry the chicken in batches, a few pieces at a time so the pot never gets crowded, for about 4 minutes per batch — the coating should be an even golden brown and the chicken cooked through. Lift each batch onto the paper-towel-lined rack and let the oil come back up to 360°F (182°C) before starting the next one.

5. 5

   Pile the karaage onto a plate and serve hot, with lemon wedges to squeeze over.