Recipe
Shio-koji karaage: tender and juicy
A shio-koji marinade is enough to make chicken tender and full of umami: a gentle karaage with no soy sauce.
Edited by EMA
Original JAPANITIES recipe. Results may vary with ingredients and equipment.
Checked on: · Source : JAPANITIES editorial recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs with skin, cut into 3–4 cm pieces
- Marinade: 2–3 tbsp shio-koji, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tbsp sake (or dry white wine)
- 4–5 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) or cornstarch
- Neutral frying oil
- Lemon wedges
Method
- Massage the chicken with the shio-koji, ginger and sake in a bowl. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge (up to overnight).
- Just before frying, lightly wipe the shio-koji off the surface with a paper towel, then coat in starch, patting off the excess.
- Heat the oil to 170 °C and fry for 3–4 minutes without crowding the pan. Rest for 3 minutes on a rack.
- Raise the oil to 180 °C and put the chicken back in for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until nicely coloured.
- Check that the meat is no longer pink in the middle. Serve with a lemon wedge.
Air-fryer version
- Wipe off the shio-koji with a paper towel before coating in starch: its sugar burns easily, so this step is essential.
- Preheat the basket to 180 °C for 3 minutes. Spray a little oil over the chicken (about 1 tbsp).
- Place the pieces skin side down, without overlapping, and cook for 10 minutes at 170 °C.
- Turn them over and continue for 5–7 minutes at 170 °C.
- Finish for about 2 minutes at 200 °C to colour. Keep an eye on it, because the sugar browns quickly.
- Check that the meat is no longer pink in the middle (75 °C at the core at least). Do not fill the basket more than 80%.
About shio-koji
- Shio-koji is a fermented seasoning made from rice koji, salt and water: it tenderises meat and boosts umami.
- In France you can find it in Japanese grocery stores or online. Homemade: mix rice koji, salt and water, then let it mature for 1–2 weeks at room temperature, stirring from time to time.
- It contains salt: there is no need to add soy sauce or salt. Too much shio-koji makes the dish too salty.
Tips
- The sugar in shio-koji burns easily: wipe it off before coating and start frying at 170 °C.
- The longer the marinade, the more tender the meat; beyond one night, the texture changes.
- Double frying gives a crisp outside and a juicy inside.
- Never leave hot oil unattended.
Wine pairing
A fresh, lively wine brings out the umami sweetness of the shio-koji and the crunch of the fried coating. The editors’ suggestion is based on the flavours of the dish and the style of the wine: adapt it to your taste.
- Worth trying: Entre-deux-Mers (dry white Bordeaux)
- At the wine shop, say which style you want: dry, lightly oaked, with marked acidity.