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Flounder Kara-age

Flounder Kara-age

Learn how to make kara-age, a Japanese deep-frying technique that seals in the natural flavors of ingredients like flounder, tofu, and chicken. Pair your kara-age dish with a simple dipping sauce, grated daikon, and sliced scallions for a delicious and authentic Japanese meal.

K_ara-age_ is a technique for deep frying without a batter, to highlight the natural taste of an ingredient. Foods are simply dredged in flour or starch, to seal the surface, and plopped into a vat of bubbling oil (okay, not literally a vat -- a saucepan is fine!). Flat fish like flounder is delicious deep-fried this way (so is tofu and chicken). I made the flounder last night, and paired it with a simple dipping sauce along with grated daikon and sliced scallions. The grated daikon adds fresh flavor, and when added to the dipping sauce, thickens it and helps it adhere to the flounder.

Deep Fried Flounder Kara-age with Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

  • Flounder, cut into chunks
  • Salt, to taste
  • Daikon, thickly peeled and coarsely grated
  • Scallions, thinly sliced
  • Vegetable oil, for deep frying
  • Flour, for dredging

For the Dipping Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup mirin
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups dashi

Instructions:

  1. Prep the Fish: Lightly salt the flounder chunks and set aside.

  2. Prepare the Vegetables: Coarsely grate the daikon and thinly slice the scallions. Soak the scallions in water for 10 minutes, then squeeze dry to remove any slime.

  3. Make the Dipping Sauce: In a small saucepan, bring the mirin to a boil. Add the soy sauce and dashi, then bring to a boil again. Turn off the heat and set aside.

  4. Fry the Fish: Fill a pot with 2 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 340 degrees F (170 degrees C). Dredge the flounder chunks in flour and deep fry in batches for about 4 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with newspaper or paper towel to drain.

  5. Serve: Place the fried flounder on a serving dish. Add the grated daikon and squeezed scallions to the dipping sauce. To eat, dip the fish into the sauce.

Enjoy your Deep Fried Flounder with a flavorful dipping sauce, perfect for a savory and satisfying meal.