Easy Japanese Fried Chicken/ Tatsuta-Age

Simple and delicious recipe for Japanese-style fried chicken. "Om nom"

Da Lesson

Just a quick FYI: "Age" (Ah-ghey) means to fry, usually. So if you are ever confused at a Japanese Restaurant dishes with "age" at the end or beginning (agedashi tofu, karei karaage, tori karaage) they are usually yummy and fried.

I'm not gonna lie the Japanese have truly mastered the art of deep fried foods.Tatsuta Age is one of many Japanese fried chicken dishes, and is set apart with the use of corn starch instead of flower. The Corn Starch gives a more crunchy bite to the chicken, and at time can even give a more flaky texture.

Da Marinade

Chicken Thighs(Boneless, Skinless): 1 1lb

Ginger: One Root 3 Inch Piece

Garlic:6 Cloves

Shoyu (Soy Sauce): 1/2 Cup

Sake: 1/2 Cup

Water: 1 Cup - 1 1/2 Cup

Typically I do this marinade by taste and honestly it is a very preferential process. I like mine more garlic, Dad likes his more shoyu, Mom likes a ton of ginger. However the ratios above I find will give you the most balance.

I like using this Asian style garlic/ ginger grater, however using the smallest holes of a cheese grater should also suffice. The Goal is to get the garlic and ginger as small as possible in order to maximize the amount of its flavor going into the chicken.

Cut your chicken thighs in half, and make sure to tenderize and lightly beat flatter with the dull edge of your knife.

Combine Shoyu, Sake, and water in a large bowl (Storage container) and add in the cut chicken. Take the grated/ mashed ginger and garlic and and massage into the chicken sitting in the marinade. After about a minute cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Da Fry

Finally the Fun PART!

Deep Frying is an all time favorite past time.

Take your, now at least 5 hours marinaded, chicken coat generously in corn starch. I typically like to do this in a separate bowl.

Make sure to shake off any excess corn starch before throwing it into your hot oil.

Prepping the oil can be at time quite frustrating, but the more patient you are the better the food turns out. If you have a deep fryer great! Use it!

If not try and find one of these to fry in: a wok, any deep pan, or shallower pot.

I personally like soybean oil, but veggie oil, canola oil all works too. DON'T USE OLIVE OIL!

Fill your frying “vessel” with enough oil so that every piece of meat frying will be completely submerged. Heat the oil on high for about 5 min the turn down to medium high for another 5-10 min. To test throw in some corn starch and see how much it bubbles. You want the oil to bubble a good amount. If the oil is slowly bubbling STOP your oil isn’t hot enough. If you oil is rolling viciously and splashing everywhere and smoking a lot STOP your oil is too hot, turn off heat and wait a few min.

Fry until golden brown, and set aside on oil drying rack. If you just put it in a bowl with a towel it will still get all soggy.

Da Garnish

Daikon (Japanese Raddish) - 1 Whole

Green Onions (Negi) - 1 Whole Bunch

I like to garnish with Oroshi Daikon (grated daikon). If you do have the Japanese grater, peel whole daikon and dice in to 3 inch cubes, and grate in a blender or food processor. Line a strainer with a paper towl and let the mix drain of liquid.

Also prepare very thinly sliced green onions.

Da Final Product: Tatsuta Age

Cut in to bite size pieces, and garnish with your daikon oroshi and thinly sliced green onions. As a the final kicker drizzle over Ponzu (Japanese Citrus Soy Sauce).

Happy Cooking Folks!

- Stephen Toyofuku