This is one of our party favorites. I make lightly-seasoned classic Japanese-style fried chicken ("Kara-age") and pour tangy and aromatic black vinegar sauce. It's really good.
Chicken Kara-age with Aromatic Black Vinegar Sauce
Ingredients:
12 oz (360 g) boneless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon sake
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
potato starch ("katakuriko")
(aromatic black vinegar sauce)
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 small knob ginger, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons Japanese black vinegar ("kurozu")
1/2 tablespoon Korean chili paste ("gochujang")
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 scallion, minced
Vegetable oil for frying
Procedure:
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, sake, soy sauce, and grated ginger, and mix well by hand. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or 30 minutes is good, if you don't have enough time).
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
- Dredge the chicken in potato starch and deep-fry in the 360F (180C) degrees oil for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the outside is crisp. Depending on the size of the fryer, cook in separate batches.
- Transfer the fried chicken into a serving bowl and pour the sauce over. Serve immediately.
