Japanese fried chicken (karaage) gets its distinctive tang from the shichimi garnish — a Japanese rice seasoning with chili pepper, roasted orange peel, sesame seeds, seaweed, and ginger. It’s widely available in Asian markets.

Tamari is a gluten-free Japanese soy sauce with a darker color and bolder flavor than other soy sauces, but any soy sauce will work. A large pot or Dutch oven (at least six quarts) is essential for frying.

A Recipe for Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage)

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

  • 3-ounce chunk fresh ginger, coarsely grated
  • 1/4 cup sake
  • 1/4 cup tamari
  • 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thirds
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon shichimi to garnish (Japanese rice seasoning)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

For the dipping sauce:

  • 1/4 cup tamari
  • 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Directions:

Gather the ginger in your hands and squeeze as much juice as possible into a large bowl. Add the ginger solids to the bowl and stir in the sake, tamari, and lemon zest. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, shichimi to garnish and pepper. Working one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and dredge in the cornstarch mixture, pressing evenly to adhere on all sides. Transfer to the rack and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

In a 7-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil to 375ºF. Add a third of the chicken to the hot oil and fry, stirring to prevent sticking, until the chicken is deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean wire rack, return the oil to 375ºF and repeat twice with the remaining chicken.

Don't let the chicken sit for longer than an hour after coating it before frying. It will get gummy.

For the dipping sauce: Whisk together all ingredients.

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