Kushiage

Cooking Japanese in Jamaica

This week, I'm going to introduce the ultimate Japanese party food/platter - Kushiage. Kushiage can cater to a small number of people or a large group. Prep is easy. You can even freeze them once prepped and it takes only a few minutes of frying to be served.

Kushiage are small, bite-sized pieces of various ingredients on bamboo skewers deep fried in Japanese breadcrumbs (Panko). What I like about Kushiage is that it's a fun food and comfort-food like Okonomiyaki and Yakitori (see previous recipes), thus it's perfect to entertain family and friends. Needless to say, it goes well with wine and beer.

Choice of ingredients is unlimited. Besides the ones listed in the recipe below, you can use diced beef, pork, ham, meatballs, fillet fish, boiled quail eggs (without shells), crayfish (Janga), lobster, shrimp, sprat, crab stick, scallops, tofu, cheese, vegetables like mushrooms, asparagus, French beans (string beans), garlic, mini tomato, potato, yam, beetroot, sugar snaps, spring onion, cho cho, even fruits like banana can be used.

In Japan, you will encounter Kushiage in many establishments. In some restaurants, customers can choose Kushiage to be fried and it's done in front of them either at the counter or at their table. Furthermore, you can create your own dip and enjoy it anyway you like.

Dips are an exciting part of this recipe. Kushiage goes well with sea salt, soy sauce, citrus juice, mixture of citrus juice and vinegar, mayonnaise, spicy mayo, French mustard, honey-mustard sauce, ranch, southern island dressing, grapefruit juice with soy sauce mix, escoveitch sauce, tomato sauce, tartar sauce, sweet & sour sauce, Worcester Sauce, hot barbecue sauce, the list goes on forever.

If you are a vegan, select ingredients without animal protein, and use water instead of eggs to make the batter.

Cooking time 40 minutes

Serves 2 persons

Ingredients

4 small okras

2 slices of pumpkin

4 slices of courgette

1 slices green pepper

4 slices carrot

4 large shrimp (no shell)

1 chicken thigh (boneless & skinless)

Salt and pepper

100gm of flour

2 eggs

50gm of Panko

Cooking oil

You also need 22 bamboo skewers

For dip:

2tbs Japanese soy sauce (Kikkoman brand preferably)

2tbs lime juice

2tbs mayonnaise

1tbs ketchup

1tbs pepper sauce

1tbs coarse sea salt

Method

Before you start working on the Kushiage, prepare dips.

Dip 1: Mix 2tbs soy sauce and equal amounts of lime juice

Dip 2: Mix 2tbs mayonnaise, 1 tbs ketchup and pepper sauce

Dip 3: Coarse sea salt

1. Slice vegetable into 1/4 inch thick. Green pepper should be sliced in adequate size. Remove shells of shrimp except tail and cut piece of chicken thigh into four.

2. Put all ingredients through bamboo skewers which you can purchase at almost any supermarket.

3. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. Coat in beaten eggs mixture then cover with Panko or crumbs. Panko is now available in many supermarkets, however, I prefer Panko that is made in Japan over those from Taiwan and other countries. Japanese Panko gives that beautiful aroma and extra crunch that others do not.

4. Deep fry them. I recommend starting with vegetable then move on to seafood and chicken. When you fry them, keep the ends of bamboo skewers over the rim of the frying pan so that skewers do not get cooked in the oil.

5. Turn them a few times while being cooked to give even colour. Once they are golden brown on both sides, they are ready. Put them on to a metal mesh, or use kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.

Eat while hot.

Itadakimasu!

Ai Irisawa-Coney managed a Japanese restaurant in Soho, London. She is also a founder of Epiphany Media Solutions and ACI Consultancy www.aci-consultancy.com in Kingston, Jamaica