Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

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When my kids are craving for some fried chicken and they want it within 30 minutes, Kara-age is the way to go.

Unlike other types of fried chicken, Karaage doesn't take all day to make. Just a quick marinate, coat with potato starch, then deep fry to produce flavorful crispy fried chicken everybody will enjoy.

Drizzle with liberal amount of lemon juice before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless chicken thigh, preferably with skin, cut into 2-inch pieces.
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1-inch fresh ginger, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sake
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup potato starch
• Oil for frying
• Lemon juice

Directions:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine garlic, ginger, soys sauce, sake, salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces into the marinade, mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Heat the oil in the frying pan to 350 F. Dust the chicken in potato starch, fry in the hot oil until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately while they're hot.

Cinnamon Sugar Cronuts

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I owe someone this recipe. Sorry it took me a while to post it, Mr. C.

Please let me know who they turn out :)

Ingredients for the detempre (dough):

• 1 1/4 cup warm milk, about 105-110F
• 1 package active dry yeast, about 2 teaspoons
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Ingredients for the beurrage (butter block):

• 1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, preferably European style like Plugra or Kerrygold
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Other ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• Oil for frying

Directions:

• To make the detrempe: Sprinkle yeast and sugar onto warm milk, give a little stir with a spoon, and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour and salt, then add yeast mixture and egg into the bowl. Mix all of the ingredients together with your hand until well mixed. Please do not over handling the dough, just give it enough mixing until all of the ingredients are well blended. Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead a little bit more and shape it into a ball. The dough will be sticky and spread out a little bit. Place the dough ball on a floured parchment paper, and refrigerate while you're making the barrage. 
• To make the beurrage: Using a mixer, mix butter and flour until smooth. Transfer butter mixture onto a plastic wrap, shaping it into a flat square. Wrap the butter and refrigerate until the butter is firmer, about 20 minutes.

• On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a thin circle. Place the butter block in the center of the dough. Stretching the dough with your hand, pull the top part of the dough, and fold it to cover the butter. Repeat the process with the bottom, left and right part of the dough, until you get a square envelope. Flip the square over, so that the flaps are facing down.
• Using a rolling pin, flatten and roll out the dough into a large rectangle, sprinkle more flour if necessary. Fold the dough into thirds, by folding left and right side to the center. Transfer dough onto a lined baking sheet, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
• Repeat the process of rolling the dough into rectangle, letter fold, and refrigerate for 20 minutes in between foldings. In total, do 3 letter folds before final rolling and cutting.

• Roll out the dough into a thin large rectangle, about 1/2-inch in thickness. Using a 4-inch donut cutter (or cookie cutter), cut out the dough into donut rounds, and transfer them onto a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1-inch apart. You should be able to get approximately 24 donut rounds from one batch. 

• Place the baking sheets in a warm spot in the kitchen. Let the cronuts to rise (but don't let them double in size), for about 1 hour.

• Mix sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. In a frying skillet, heat up oil over medium heat. When the oil temperature reaches 350 F, fry 2 or 3 cronuts until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to baking sheet lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Continue frying the remaining cronuts. Dip each cronut in cinnamon-sugar mixture, cool down a little bit and serve.

Sufganiyot - Israeli Jelly Donuts

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One does not need to be Jewish, Israeli, or even celebrate Hanukkah to enjoy Sufganiyot. This Israeli version of jelly donuts is easy to make, light, fluffy, and most importantly, delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 teaspoons) dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm milk, about 105-110 F
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups cooking oil
• 1 cup seedless strawberry/blueberry jelly
• Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, 2 teaspoons of sugar and yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture turns foamy. Add flour, salt, eggs, and the rest of the sugar into the bowl. Using your hands, mix the dough until well combined but still sticky to the touch. Add butter into the dough, continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball, transfer to a greased bowl, turn to coat. Cover the bowl with kitchen towel, store in a warm place in the kitchen and let rise until almost double in size. It should take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Punch down and then roll out the dough using a rolling pin, until it reaches 1/2-inch in thickness. Cut out holes using 3-inch biscuit/cookie cutter, place rounds on a line cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. You should be able to get about 24 rounds. Cover the cookie sheet with kitchen towel, and let rise for another hour.
• Place the oil in a frying skillet. Heat over medium heat until the temperature reaches 350 F. Fry 2-3 rounds in hot oil, about 1 minute each side, until golden brown. Transfer donuts to a cookie sheet lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Repeat the process with the remaining rounds.
• Place the jelly in a piping bag with 1/4-inch round tip. Poke a hole in the center of the donut using a sharp knife, squeeze the jelly into the donut through the hole. Repeat with the remaining donuts. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.