Kushi-age (串揚げ)
Japan
Traditional Japanese skewers where pieces of chicken fillet alternate with vegetables, are breaded and deep-fried. Served hot with Japanese Worcestershire sauce or lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken fillet
- 1 pcs eggplant
- 2 pcs shiitake mushrooms
- 0.5 pcs onion
- 1 pcs potato
- to taste g salt
- to taste g black ground pepper
- as needed g flour
- 1 pcs egg
- 3 cups breadcrumbs
- as needed ml vegetable oil
- to taste ml Japanese Worcestershire sauce
- optional pcs bamboo skewers
- 1 tbsp water
Steps
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Cut the chicken fillet with a knife into thinner pieces about 1 cm thick, then cut into pieces about 3 cm long. Slice the eggplant into 1 cm thick rounds, splitting them in half if needed. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and halve the caps. Slice the onion into 1 cm rounds and cut each round into 4 pieces. Peel the potato and cut into pieces of the same size, boil in simmering water for 4–5 minutes so it stays firm.
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On a cutting board place the vegetables closer to you and the meat farther away. Thread each skewer first with a piece of vegetable, then a piece of chicken, alternating them. Make sure the tip of the skewer does not protrude from the meat. Season the assembled skewers with salt and black ground pepper.
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In a bowl whisk the egg with 1 tbsp water. Prepare three stations: a bowl with flour, a bowl with the beaten egg, and a bowl with breadcrumbs. Coat each skewer first in flour, shake off excess, then dip in the egg mixture, shake again, and finally roll in breadcrumbs.
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In a small pot pour vegetable oil to a depth of about 5 cm and heat to 160 °C. Fry the skewers in batches for 3–4 minutes, without overcrowding the pot. Do not stir for the first minute, then turn and fry another minute. Remove with tongs and let excess oil drain.
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Serve hot, drizzled with Japanese Worcestershire sauce or sprinkled with lemon juice and lightly salted.