INGREDIENTS
- 350 g boneless chicken thigh(s) – skin-on
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger(s) – grated
- 1 tbsp garlic – grated
- ½ tbsp apple(s) – grated
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp shiro dashi – alternative: light soy sauce
- ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch – or potato starch/corn starch to mix with marinade
- 2 tbsp potato starch – optional, to make hailstone effect
- 1 tsp water – optional, to make hailstone effect
INSTRUCTIONS
- Wash 350 g boneless chicken thigh(s) under cold running water and dry it with a paper towel.
- Use a fork to pierce the chicken on both sides.
- Cut the chicken into 40-50g (1.4-1.7oz) pieces and place it in a bowl.
- Add ½ tsp salt to the bowl and massage the chicken until all the pieces are evenly seasoned.
- Add 1 ½ tbsp ginger(s), 1 tbsp garlic, ½ tbsp apple(s), 1 tbsp sake, 1 tsp Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp shiro dashi, ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder and ⅛ tsp white pepper to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Next, add 1 tbsp all-purpose flour to the bowl and 1 tbsp tapioca starch, mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and rest the chicken in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
- Once the chicken has rested, preheat the oil to 160 °C.
- In a separate bowl add 2 tbsp potato starch and sprinkle 1 tsp water. Mix with chopsticks or fork to make clumps of starch for the hailstone effect.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge and lightly coat each piece with the clumpy starch mixture.
- Deep fry the chicken for 3 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and rest on a wire rack for 3 minutes. (It will continue to cook in the residual heat.)
- While the chicken is resting, increase the heat of the oil to 180 °C.
- Once 3 minutes of resting time is up, deep fry the chicken again for 30 seconds or until golden brown.
- Serve up and enjoy with a slice of lemon!