is a
Japanese cooking technique in which various foods—most often chicken, but also other meat and fish—are
deep fried
Deep frying (also referred to as deep fat frying) is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, traditionally lard but today most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow oil used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Normal ...
in oil. The process involves lightly coating small pieces of the meat or fish with flour, or potato or corn starch, and frying in a light oil. The foods are
marinated
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (''aqua marina'' or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor b ...
prior to coating. The process differs from the preparation of ''
tempura
is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word ''tem ...
'', which is not marinated and uses a batter for coating. Karaage is often served alone or with rice and shredded cabbage.
Origin
Karaage is often cited to have been popularized in the 1920s by the Toyoken restaurant in
Beppu
is a city in Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. As of March 31, 2017, the city had a population of 122,643 , Japan. The method was popularized because of the food shortages in Japan after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, specifically for chicken. Chicken was already a popular meal, but using the karaage method made it easier to cook, and provided a different way to eat chicken.
The Japanese heavy battered frying technique used for fried chicken, “karaage” (唐揚げ, karāge), has only been in Japan since the 1920s. It was originally introduced by the
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
as a way of frying tofu for vegetarian meals and is unique as it uses soy sauce and rice wine in the cooking process. The "kara" in karaage refers to the
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
and was historically used to describe things of Chinese or foreign origin.
Since the 1920s, the dish has spread widely throughout all of Japan. Karaage is mostly in reference to
fried chicken
Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
, as the fried chicken has become the most widespread version of the cooking style. Karaage—the chicken version—is commonly available in convenience stores such as
Lawson,
FamilyMart
is a Japanese convenience store franchise chain. It is Japan's second largest convenience store chain, behind 7-Eleven. There are now 24,574 stores worldwide in Japan, Taiwan, China, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Its ...
, and
7-Eleven
7-Eleven, Inc., stylized as 7-ELEVE, is a multinational chain of retail convenience stores, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The chain was founded in 1927 as an ice house storefront in Dallas. It was named Tote'm Stores between 1928 and 1946. A ...
as a fast food item. It is also readily available in food stands throughout Japan.
When coated with starch, it is called ''Tatsuta-age''. Tatsuta is the name of a river, but there are conflicting theories as to why it was called that.
Karaage is also widely available in festivals and food stalls throughout Japan. One such festival is the
Oita annual Karaage Festival, where over 60 different shops participate to provide unique versions of the Japanese delicacy.
File:餃子の王将 (15673149720).jpg, Chicken ''karaage'' at Gyoza no Ohsho
is a Japanese restaurant chain serving gyōza and other food from Japanese Chinese cuisine. There are over 700 Ohsho restaurants in Japan. Ohsho restaurants may be either owned and operated by the parent company or franchises operated by indepen ...
File:Gobo karaage by ayustety in Tomioka, Tokyo.jpg, ''Gobō
''Arctium lappa'', commonly called greater burdock, , edible burdock, lappa, beggar's buttons, thorny burr, or happy major is a Eurasian species of plants in the family Asteraceae, cultivated in gardens for its root used as a vegetable. It has b ...
karaage''
File:Octopus karaage by june29.jpg, Octopus ''karaage''
File:Geso karaage by Atari, Gracinha & Marco.jpg, Squid tentacle ''karaage''
File:Grukun.jpg, " Bananafish" ''karaage''
Karaage in the media
*Karaage has been embedded into Japanese cuisine and has made several TV appearances. Probably the most notable appearance has been in the anime/manga series
Shokugeki no Souma, a show about a young aspiring chef who sticks to his roots in family restaurant food.
*Another notable mention was
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael Bourdain (; June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018) was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. Bourdai ...
. Bourdain sang praises for the Japanese fried dish in an interview, saying that he always stopped by
Lawson to pick up karaage when he visited Japan.
*The dish of the
Japan Air Self-Defense Force
The , , also informally referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air and space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and electronic warfa ...
is deep-fried chicken karaage,
such as
Okinawan-style deep-fried chicken.
It has been used to promote the JASDF.
Regional karaage
Since karaage has spread throughout Japan, there have been many regional takes on the dish, the most notable ones including:
* Zangi –
Hokkaido
is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel.
The la ...
prefecture's version of karaage, made with a marinade and served with a spicy dipping sauce.
* Tebasaki –
Nagoya
is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...
’s version of karaage, made with bone in chicken wings, sprinkled with sesame seeds and basted with a special sauce.
* Toriten –
Oita prefecture’s version of karaage, coated in wheat flour and often used as a topping for udon noodles.
* Chicken nanban –
Miyazaki prefecture’s version of karaage, dipped in sweet vinegar and topped with tartar sauce.
* Gurukun no kara-age –
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
prefecture’s version of karaage.
Gurukun
The double-lined fusilier (''Pterocaesio digramma''), also known as the double stripe fusilier or blacktipped fusilier, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a fusilier belonging to the family Caesionidae. It is widespread around reefs in the I ...
is Okinawa’s official and most popular fish, often called a “banana fish”, it is a fish fried whole and served with lemon.
* Dakgangjeong –
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
's take on fried chicken, very similar to karaage, but usually made with milk and a sweet/spicy sauce consisting of soy sauce, rice wine, red chili pepper paste, honey, and seasonings.
* Fugu no kara-age – A version of karaage popular in
Yamaguchi prefecture.
Shimonoseki
is a city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. With a population of 265,684, it is the largest city in Yamaguchi Prefecture and the fifth-largest city in the Chūgoku region. It is located at the southwestern tip of Honshu facing the Tsushim ...
is known as the capital of
fugu
The fugu (; ; ) in Japanese, ''bogeo'' (; 鰒魚) or ''bok'' () in Korean, and ''hétún'' (河豚; 河魨) in Standard Modern Chinese is a pufferfish, normally of the genus ''Takifugu'', ''Lagocephalus'', or ''Sphoeroides'', or a porcupinefish ...
and many restaurants serving fugu karaage can be found around the city. The flesh, organs, and bones of the blowfish are deep-fried.
See also
*
Fried chicken
Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...
*
List of cooking techniques
This is a list of cooking techniques commonly used in cooking and food preparation.
Cooking is the art of preparing food for ingestion, commonly with the application of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, refle ...
*
List of deep fried foods
This is a list of deep fried foods and dishes. Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, such as cooking oil. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan, and industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum frye ...
*
Tempura
is a typical Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood, meat and vegetables that have been battered and deep fried. The dish was introduced by the Portuguese in Nagasaki through fritter-cooking techniques in the 16th century. The word ''tem ...
References
External links
Japan Karaage Association
Karaage JP
Photos and further info about karaage
Chicken Karaage recipe video(in English)
{{Chicken dishes, state=collapsed
Japanese cuisine
Japanese Chinese cuisine
Deep fried foods
Fried chicken