Chicken Tatsuta-Age

Name: Chicken Tatsuta-Age
Yield: makes 20 pieces, serves 4
Ingredients: 4 leaves napa cabbage, stemmed; 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal (1/3 cup); 2 scallions, stemmed and thinly sliced on a sharp diagonal (1/3 cup); 1/4 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 2 teaspoons tobanjan (Chinese chili paste); 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon Japanese soy sauce; 1/2 teaspoon nam pla (fish sauce); 1/4 teaspoon hot chili oil; 4 chicken legs and thighs, with bone and skin (about 2 1/2 pounds); 2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated (you can use a microplane or regular grater); 1 teaspoon grated ginger; 1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce; 1/4 cup mirin; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; Pinch of freshly ground black pepper; 6 cups vegetable oil, or enough to fill a pan 3 inches deep (you can also use a deep fryer); 1 cup potato starch; Pinch of kosher salt; 2 cups leafy greens; 1 lime, cut into 8 pieces

December 9, 2011

America’s Deep South isn’t the only place that loves fried chicken: tatsuta-age is Japan’s own delicious version, which my family and I are addicted to! Our fried chicken is marinated with traditional Japanese aromatic flavorings and served with a refreshing and savory slaw. You can enjoy this versatile dish hot and crispy, or pack it for a picnic and eat it at room temperature—it travels extremely well. Tatsuta-age is also a perfect leftover food. It keeps in the fridge for several days without losing its flavor, and you can turn the boneless chunks into a delicious sandwich. When I was a kid, my mother often included this fried chicken in my lunchbox, a treat I happily share with my own school-age children today. Don’t use the breast for this dish—the legs and thighs have much more flavor. Be sure to keep the skin on, too.

Recipe notes

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Eggplant Roasted in Satay Sauce

Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Baked Butter Paneer

I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.