Shio Karaage (Chicken)

Ingredients:

2 boneless chicken thigh

Japanese leak ~ top green part

3-4 sliced ginger skin

50ml water

Marinade

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sake

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 large egg

2 tbsp AP flour

2 tbsp potato starch

Coating

2-3 tbsp potato starch

Directions/Instructions:

1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl until the salt is fully dissolved.
2. Trim any excess fat or tough connective tissue of the chicken.  Look for natural partitions in the meat with the skin-side down and follow them with a sharp knife to slice the chicken into 1.5" strips.  Next, cut the strips into pieces of chicken that are roughly the volume of a golf ball.
3. In a bowl, squeeze/massage the ginger, and Japanese leak together with water till the juice is formed.
4. Add the ginger/leak juice to cut the chicken and massage the chicken together till there is no more liquid.
5. Then add all the marinade ingredients (except the dry ingredients) and keep massaging the chicken for about 3-5 mins. 
6. Next, add the dry flour and mix it together.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
7. Add 1-2 inches of oil to a heavy pot with high sides and preheat to 160 deg C.  Prepare a cooling rack by lining it with a few paper towels.
8. Put the potato starch in a bowl, and then roll each piece of chicken in the starch to coat it in an even layer.  Squeeze the chicken into a ball and lower each piece into the preheated oil.  Recommend frying the Karaage in batches.
9. Once the coating on the chicken has set, flip the pieces over to cook them evenly and fry for about 5 mins through.  (Note: The chicken takes to cook will depend on how large the pieces are.  The internal temperature of 160 deg F/71 deg C when they are cooked.)  Transfer the chicken as they cook to the prepared rack to drain.
10. Serve the Karaage immediately with a few edges of lemon.  Enjoy!