Unlike karaage, or Japanese fried chicken, tatsutaage is less well known around the world. Both fried dishes appear similar, but there are key differences.
Karaage is made by briefly marinating chicken or fish in a mixture of sake, garlic, soy sauce and ginger, before dredging the meat in flour and deep-frying it. By contrast, tatsutaage swaps the garlic for mirin, resulting in a slightly sweeter flavor. The meat is then coated in potato starch instead of flour, giving the fried morsels a lighter, crispier crust.
The potato starch and the soy sauce in the tatsutaage marinade combine to give the crust a reddish hue with white patches. The appearance is said to resemble maple leaves floating on the Tatsuta River in Nara Prefecture, which gave the dish its name.
While chicken is a popular way to enjoy tatsutaage, white fish such as the in-season tara (Pacific cod) and oily swimmers like mackerel also make delicious alternatives. The mirin in the marinade and the absence of garlic enhance the fish¡¯s mild sweetness.
For this recipe, a small amount of flour helps stabilize the coating, but you can use only potato starch or cornstarch for a lighter texture. Tatsutaage can be served cold, though it tastes best hot.
Serves 2 to 4
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
400 grams boneless, firm white fish such as tara (skin removed)
Marinade
1 piece ginger, grated, with about 1 teaspoon of juice squeezed out
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sake
Mizuna mustard greens or arugula
Lemon wedges
3 tablespoons katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch
1 tablespoon flour
Vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Carefully remove any bones from the fish and cut into diagonal, bite-size pieces.
2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a resealable plastic bag. Add the fish and squeeze the bag to coat evenly. Seal, pressing out excess air, and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, trim the root ends from the mizuna or arugula and wash well. Pat dry with paper towel. Cut the lemon wedges.
4. Remove the fish from the marinade and place on paper towels. Pat dry. Combine the potato starch and flour in a clean resealable plastic bag and shake to mix. Add the fish and toss to coat evenly.
5. Heat about 2 centimeters of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat or about 180 degrees Celsius (a wooden chopstick inserted into the oil should release fine bubbles). Shake excess starch from the fish and fry them in batches for three to four minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on a rack or on paper towels.
6. Serve with the mizuna or arugula and lemon wedges.
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