Karaage Fried White Fish 日式炸白身魚

Karaage fried white fish is a classic Japanese dish where tender white fish fillets are marinated in a savory blend of soy sauce, sake, mirin, ginger, and garlic, then coated in potato starch and deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. It's often served with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Nutrition (per serving)

Ingredients

• 500g white fish fillets (e.g., cod, tilapia, pollock)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 1 tbsp mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp grated fresh garlic
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 100g potato starch (or cornstarch/flour)
• 500ml cooking oil, for deep frying
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps

1. Cut the white fish fillets into bite-sized pieces. Pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sake, mirin, grated ginger, and grated garlic. This will be your marinade.
3. Add the prepared fish pieces to the marinade, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Let marinate at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. (Alternatively, you can marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour).
4. While the fish is marinating, prepare your dredging station. In one shallow dish, place the lightly beaten egg. In another shallow dish, add the potato starch.
5. Once marinated, dip each fish piece first into the beaten egg, allowing excess to drip off, then transfer to the potato starch. Thoroughly dredge the fish in the potato starch, ensuring an even and complete coating.
6. Heat the cooking oil in a deep pot or wok over medium-high heat to 170-180°C (340-350°F). If you don't have a thermometer, you can test by dropping a small piece of coating; it should sizzle and float up immediately.
7. Carefully place a few pieces of coated fish into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for about 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels. Repeat with the remaining fish.
8. For extra crispiness (optional but recommended), increase the oil temperature to 180-190°C (350-375°F). Return all the fish to the hot oil and fry for another 1-2 minutes until deeply golden brown and very crispy.
9. Remove the fish from the oil and drain any excess oil. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

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