Karaage, Japanese fried chicken 鶏の唐揚げ

Du kara-age servi avec du chou et du citron

Du kara-age servi avec du chou et du citron

Hirotomo T Flickr

Japanese nuggets

Karaage (fried chicken) is one of the great classic Japanese dishes which is very popular. You will find this dish on menus in an izakaya or for sale in a konbini. This is a must-have dish on any table in Japan, in a restaurant, or at home. 

The origins

After the Second World War, there were shortages of everything in Japan. With food, a major state reform introduced new methods, such as industrial breeding: necessary to feed a large population at a low cost. Chicken was favored as it was already popular in the family kitchen due to its versatility. The frying method has long existed in Japan since the Edo period (1603-1868), when tempura was in fashion.

Karaage, ou poulet frit

Karaage, or fried chicken

Wiki

Recipe for karaage

Want to make your own Karaage? It's very simple. Here's how..

1. Take a boneless chicken thigh and cut into bite-size pieces. 

2. Marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sake, or white wine, grated ginger, and a little sesame oil. 

3. Roll each piece in seasoned flour (or even better, a mixture of flour and potato starch), then deep-fry in oil until crisp. 

4. Serve hot and enjoy!

This is a recipe that can be found in many Japanese homes, it should be noted that karaage has thrilled culinary talents as much as the taste buds! This is why, today there are several variations of the recipe, which differ according to tastes and regions.

Kara-age, le poulet frit à la japonaise

Kara-age, le poulet frit à la japonaise

Big Ben in Japan

Regional specialties

As is often the case in Japan, there are regional differences. Traveling through the country, you will discover different tastes, depending on whether you are in Nagano (sanzoku-yaki), Hokkaido (zangi), Imabari (sen-zangi), Niigata (hanba-age, half chicken fries), Seki, Gifu (seki kara-age, which is black because it's mixed with a type of algae).

In the recipe for kara-age tebasaki, fried chicken wings are soaked in a spicy sauce, which is a specialty of Nagoya. In the town of Nakatsu (in Oita prefecture, Kyushu), about sixty shops and restaurants offer kara-age, which is why it's called the sacred city of karaage: a good reason to visit!

Du poulet frit à la japonaise, "kara-age" (kala-agué)

Du poulet frit à la japonaise, "kara-age" (kala-agué)

Lucas Richarz

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