Chicken Wingettes Karaage with Garlic Soy Dipping Sauce

Method17 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and finely grate the garlic clove (1). Dissolve the eighth-teaspoon broth powder or paste in the 1½ tablespoons measured water. Mix it in a small saucepan with the grated garlic, 1½ tablespoons soy sauce, tablespoon mirin (1 tbsp) and half-tablespoon sugar (½ tbsp).

   Uses 1½ tbsp soy sauce for dipping sauce · 1 tbsp mirin · ½ tbsp sugar · 1 garlic clove, finely grated; about ½ heaped teaspoon · ⅛ tsp Asian chicken broth powder or paste · 1½ tbsp water to dilute the chicken broth powder or paste

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring the dipping sauce to a boil. Let it boil for about five seconds, then immediately remove it from the heat.

   Briefly boil garlic-soy dipping sauce · 1 minUses All mixed dipping sauce

3. 3

   Step 3: Transfer the cooked sauce to a serving bowl and keep it separate from all raw chicken and coating utensils.

   Uses All cooked dipping sauce

4. 4

   Step 4: Lay out all ten raw wingettes. Take the first one and identify the thicker end that was attached to the drumette, where its two bones are easiest to see. Keep the other wingettes cold.

   Uses 10 raw chicken wingettes, about 416 g total, each with both bones

5. 5

   Step 5: Make an incision between the first wingette’s two bones at the drumette end to separate them.

   Uses The first selected wingette

6. 6

   Step 6: Cut through the flesh between the two bones along the wingette to the opposite end. Cut the connecting tissue and cartilage at that end so you have two bone-in halves.

   Uses The first incised wingette

7. 7

   Step 7: Trim the flesh, skin and tendons from the wing-tip end of each half to expose about 1 cm of bone, leaving its meat attached to the other end as a small lollipop.

   Uses Both first-wingette halves

8. 8

   Step 8: Repeat steps 5–7 on each remaining wingette. Keep all twenty prepared lollipop pieces together, then clean the cutting board, knife and hands after raw-chicken handling.

   Uses The first two prepared pieces · The remaining nine raw wingettes

9. 9

   Step 9: Sprinkle the half-teaspoon salt (½ tsp) and quarter-teaspoon pepper (¼ tsp) over all twenty prepared chicken pieces and turn to season evenly.

   Uses All twenty prepared pieces · ½ tsp salt · ¼ tsp pepper

10. 10

    Step 10: Mix the 1½ tablespoons each of plain flour and cornstarch (1½ tbsp) in a shallow dish. Coat every seasoned chicken piece thoroughly in the shared mixture, shaking off excess. Discard coating left over after raw-chicken contact.

    Uses All seasoned chicken pieces · 1½ tbsp cornstarch · 1½ tbsp plain flour

11. 11

    Step 11: Pour enough oil into a deep frying pan for a 2 cm depth and heat to 180°C / 356°F. Set out a clean mesh rack or kitchen-paper-lined tray for the cooked chicken.

    Uses Oil for deep-frying, enough for 2 cm depth

12. 12

    Step 12: Lower coated chicken pieces gently into the hot oil in uncrowded batches. Keep pieces awaiting frying separate from the clean cooked-food tray.

    Uses All coated pieces awaiting frying · The same hot oil

13. 13

    Step 13: Fry each batch for one and a half minutes on the first side. Turn and fry for another one to one and a half minutes, until golden and fully cooked. Check the thickest meat of each piece reaches 74°C / 165°F, extending cooking as needed.

    Fry each batch: both sides combined · 3 minUses Each uncrowded frying batch

14. 14

    Step 14: Lift each cooked batch onto the clean mesh rack or lined tray to drain. Repeat the same frying sequence for the remaining pieces, keeping the oil at 180°C, until all twenty pieces are cooked.

    Uses All thoroughly fried pieces

15. 15

    Step 15: If using the optional cabbage, wash, dry and cut it into large bite-sized pieces. Put it on one side of the serving plate.

    Uses Cabbage cut into large bite-sized pieces, optional

16. 16

    Step 16: Arrange all twenty cooked chicken pieces on the prepared plate, leaning them against the optional cabbage with their exposed bone ends pointing upwards.

    Uses All twenty finished pieces · The prepared serving plate

17. 17

    Step 17: Serve the twenty chicken pieces hot with the separate bowl of garlic-soy dipping sauce, dipping each piece as you eat.

    Uses The complete plated chicken · All reserved dipping sauce