This recipe for double-fried Karaage promises an extra crispy texture with plenty of flavor from a savory marinade. It's served with a simple Kewpie mayo dipping sauce, which the author suggests can be easily experimented with different mayo bases.
1. Cut up chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces (1 or 2 bites worth). Combine in a bowl with minced garlic, grated ginger, sugar, salt, pepper, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sake. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
2. Add and combine egg and flour to the chicken marinade. Dip and cover the chicken with cornstarch and set on a wire rack or pan for 3 minutes to let the batter set.
3. Fill a pan with oil until the height is about 1-2 inches and heat until about 330F. Alternatively, add some batter to your chopstick and poke into the oil until you see bubbling. Put the battered chicken into the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook until golden brown and set on a wire rack to dry. For extra crispiness, after frying all your chicken once, toss them back into the oil at 350F for a deep brown. Set on a wire rack and top with togarashi and flaky salt.
4. Combine Kewpie mayo, a tiny bit of soy sauce, and sriracha to use as your dipping sauce.
5. Squeeze lemon over the karaage and enjoy!
