Easy karaage chicken

By marinating the chicken, we're getting a lot of flavour in there. And then the potato starch, the traditional coating for this Japanese chicken, traps all of that flavour. I love it because it’s light and it's really crispy and it stays crispy for a long time, even after frying.

Ingredients

• 24 g (¾ oz) ginger, minced
• ¾ cup (175 ml) sake
• ¾ cup (175 ml) soy sauce
• 6 tsp togarashi, plus 3 tsp extra, for seving
• 2 garlic cloves
• juice of 1 lime
• 8 boneless, skin-on chicken legs (about 1.2 kg / 2 ½ lb)
• canola oil for frying
• 2 cups (296 g) potato starch
• 1 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
• 1 kabosu or yuzu (see Note)

Marinating time: 3 hours

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix ginger, sake, soy sauce, 6 tsp togarashi, garlic and lime juice. Add the chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Heat 5 cm (2 in) of oil in a large saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 180°C (350°F).

Place potato starch in a large dish. Working in batches, coat the chicken in the potato starch, shaking off any excess. Fry until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and zest the kobosu or yuzu over the top. Serve with kewpie mayonnaise sprinkled with remaining togarashi.

Note

• Kobosu and yuzu are Japanese citrus.

By marinating the chicken, we're getting a lot of flavour in there. And then the potato starch, the traditional coating for this Japanese chicken, traps all of that flavour. I love it because it’s light and it's really crispy and it stays crispy for a long time, even after frying.