Karaage chicken and waffles with ranch dressing

Ingredients

• 2 chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm-wide strips
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry
• 75 g (½ cup) potato flour
• 8 store-bought waffles

Ranch dressing

• 160 ml (⅔ cup) buttermilk
• 75 g (¼ cup) whole-egg mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives

Marinating time 6 hours

Drink match Barossa Valley Brewing ‘Bee Sting’ Honey Wheat Beer, SA (330 ml, $3.65)

Instructions

To make ranch dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until needed.

Place chicken in a non-reactive dish. Combine garlic, ginger, soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Remove chicken pieces from marinade, discarding marinade. Fill a large saucepan or deep-fryer half-full with oil and heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Working in batches, coat chicken pieces in potato flour, shaking off excess, then carefully place in oil and cook, turning gently, for 4 minutes or until golden and crisp and chicken is cooked through. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Toast or warm waffles. Place on serving plates and top with kaarage chicken. Serve drizzled with ranch dressing.

Photography Chris Chen

As seen in Feast magazine, February 2014, Issue 28.