Kakiage

, a Japanese dish, is a type of
''tempura''. It is made by batter-dipping and deep-frying a batch of ingredients such as shrimp bits (or a clump of small-sized shrimp). ''Kakiage'' may use other seafood such as small scallops, shredded vegetables or a combination of such ingredients.

General description

Kakiage is a type of tempura that uses small pieces of seafood, or vegetable or both.

Sometimes the main ingredients are clumps of fish or shellfish that are individually small, or chopped into small pieces.

The variety of seafood used include shrimp, mollusks like scallop, or fish, and can be combined with vegetables such as onion or '' mitsuba''. The ''kakiage'' may also use vegetarian ingredients such as carrots, burdock, or onions chopped into matchsticks or into bits.

Preparation

The lump being fried is shaped into disks, and the ''kakiage'' are sometimes described as a "pancake" of sorts. It is also referred to as a type of "fritter".

The recipe may call for gently sliding the dollop of battered ingredients into hot oil, and since it may try to break apart, a spatula may be used to hold it into place until the shape has set. There is a modern-day implement being sold called a ''kakiage ring'' to assist in its cooking—a cylindrical, perforated sheet metal mold on a handle.

In traditional preparation, these small pieces breaking apart must be constantly "raked together" (Japanese: ).

Serving options

Kakiage may be eaten with ''tentsuyu'' or tempura dipping sauce and grated daikon radishes, or with seasoned salt, just like any other type of tempura.

It may also be served as a ''kakiage donburi'' or ''kakiage don'', which is a rice bowl dish with a piece of ''kakiage'' placed on top of steamed rice. A ''tendon'' (tempura bowl) may also include a piece of ''kakiage'' among other tempura morsels.

''Kakiage'' may top a bowl of (hot soba in broth) or udon.

Ingredients used in Japan

The ''kakiage'' typically uses a type of shrimp called (''Metapenaeus'' spp.), whereas the individual whole shrimp tempura commonly uses both the ''shiba ebi'' and ''saimaki ebi'' (juvenile kuruma ebi)., p. 259:"シバエビ..クルマエビより味はやや落ちるが、付け焼き、煮もの、てんぶらのかき揚げ、酢の物など、利用法は多い (Shiba ebi.. slightly less tasty than kuruma ebi, but is marinade-broiled, braised, made into kakiage tenpura, etc., there are many uses)"; p. 119: "エビ.. シバエビは.. てんぷらに向く。クルマエビの小さいのをサイマキといい、てんぷら用 (ebi hrimp. shiba ebi.. is suited for tempura.. small-sized kuruma ebi is called saimaki and used for tenpura)".

Another standard is using a type of small "scallops" called which are actually the adductor muscles of the ''bakagai'' or ''aoyagi'' clams ('' Mactra chinensis'').

''Kakiage'' using fresh sakura shrimp are usually offered in the vicinity of Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture where these are caught, although some recipes may call for the dried sakura shrimp which are more widely available.

Etymology

The ''kakiage'' is so-named because one "mixes up" the ingredients before they are fried, or so it has been claimed, e.g., by the tempura chef and proprietor of in Yokohama.

Scholar also introduces the same etymology, anecdotally quoting another tempura chef.

History

(written 1837–1853) stated that the tempura offered at soba noodle shops at the time used shrimp (''Metapenaeus joyneri''). According to a soba researcher, tempura soba was invented around the Bunsei era (1818–1830), using the ''shiba ebi'' shrimp ''kakiage'' as topping.

The former shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837–1913) was a regular customer at the tempura restaurant , where he would order an especially large ''kakiage'', served on a Nabeshima plate.

See also

* Japanese cuisine
* List of Japanese dishes
* Crispy kangkóng
* Okoy

Explanatory notes

Citations

Footnotes

Bibliography

*
*
*
{{refend

Japanese seafood
Japanese cuisine
Deep fried foods