Karaage – Japanese technique for frying chicken

Karaage [から揚げ] is a Japanese technique that consists of frying certain types of food, most often chicken, but it is also common to find other fish and meats.

Why is Karaage so delicious?

What differentiates a karaage from regular fried and breaded chicken? What do the Japanese do to make this chicken and other meats so tasty?

Usually, its seasoning is based on soy sauce, shoyu, garlic, ginger, sake, and coated with a layer of seasoned wheat flour or cornstarch and fried in light oil.

The karaage is completely crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with its flavor enhanced and improved by the use of seasonings and sauces. The meat is also marinated for more than half an hour, making the flavor even more special.

Karaage is usually served alone or with rice and chopped cabbage.

What is the origin of karaage?

Some claim that Karaage became popular in the 1920s through a restaurant called Toyoken in Beppu, a tourist city quite popular for its onsens.

It became popular mainly due to food shortages during World War II. Chicken, being cheaper, became the target of daily recipes at the time, thus evolving the flavor and technique.

Karaage has a Chinese origin, like many other dishes in Japanese cuisine, such as Gyoza and Ramen, fitting into the category of Wafu-Chaka (Chinese dishes adapted to the Japanese palate).

Karaage is also called Tatsutaage, which literally means “fried Tang” (referring to the Chinese Tang dynasty). Today you can find it in stores like Lawson, Family Mart, Seven Eleven, and stalls all over Japan.

Different types of karaage

Karaage is a free dish; you can make it with anything and even change the flavor of the crispy batter or the marinade sauce with ingredients of your choice.

There are some regional karaage standards in Japan that we will mention below. It might be interesting to try the one from each region of Japan and enjoy its unique flavor.

Zangi- This Karaage is found in the Hokkaido region and is usually served with a spicy sauce.

Tebasaki- From the Nagoya region, it is made with chicken wings sprinkled with sesame seeds and a special sauce.

Dakgangjeong – A style similar to Korean fried chicken, usually made with milk and a type of sweet and spicy sauce.

Toriten- From the Oita region, coated in wheat flour and usually used as a topping for udon.

Nanban – From Miyazaki Prefecture, soaked in sweet vinegar and topped with tartar sauce.

Gurukun no kara-age – Gurukun is a fish from Okinawa, often called “banana fish,” usually served with lemon.

The famous Konbini Karaage

While in Brazil we find various bakeries and snack bars with fried snacks, in Japan it is more common to find in convenience stores called konbini the famous karaage along with breaded sausages and nikuman.

The konbini karaage usually comes on a skewer or in a container like fast-food fries. It generally costs around 100 to 300 yen, where it can have different variations and flavors.

Some prefer karaage from restaurants or homemade, but I personally liked the konbini karaage a lot and ate it almost every day along with nikuman.

What is the difference between Karaage and Tempura?

In Japanese, foods that are fried covered by a batter are called Anemono [揚げ物]. The Japanese usually fry various items covered with a crispy batter: eggplants, potatoes, asparagus, pumpkin, mushrooms, fish, shrimp, squid, and meats.

Tempura is generally made to be dipped in sauce, while karaage usually comes already seasoned from its marinade. The experience between the two dishes is completely different.

Generally, the batter used in tempura is very thin and tends to fry faster than karaage. There is also Kakiage, which consists of mixed vegetables in tempura batter and fried together.

Karaage Recipe

Karaage is one of the recipes that adapts best to the Brazilian palate; even the most difficult to convince accept this idea. Something that makes this dish even more admirable is its easy preparation and low cost.

You can make your own Karaage using the recipe below:

Karaage Ingredients

• 2 chicken thighs (also try using other types of meat and fish)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tablespoon of potato starch
• 1/2 tablespoon of wheat flour
• Oil for frying

Karaage Seasoning

• 2 tablespoons of sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons of shoyu sauce (soy sauce)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 grated garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons of grated ginger

Preparation Method

• 1. Cut the meat and season it;
• 2. Mix the ingredients well with your hand;
• 3. Refrigerate for twenty minutes;
• 4. Mix egg with chicken and add the flour;
• 5. The pieces should be covered with a consistent batter;
• 7. Fry in hot oil and be careful not to stick;
• 8. Remove when golden;
• 10. Serve with lemon;

There are other techniques to make karaage. You can try making karaage following the recipe in the video below: