I don’t have any sexual perversions or unflattering political casserole comparisons to discuss today.  This week is all about my chicken katsu recipe.

It may seem at times that this blog is adrift, unsure of its purpose…which is true.  But mostly, I try to create delicious food from scratch.  My aim is to design heathy recipes a normal human being would choose to eat more than once.

I usually get it wrong, but my ego, and any self-preservation I possessed were beaten out of me at an early age by my brother and sister.  So, failure has zero effect on me.  I’m like what would happen if Mr. Food, Chow Daddy, and Reek had a three-way that resulted in a baby.  Upsetting…but there’s room for us all on this earth.

Chicken Katsu Curry

• 3 carrots, chopped
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 5 whole, peeled garlic cloves
• 1 large onions, chopped
• 1 TBS avocado oil
• 1 TBS S+B curry powder or medium curry powder
• 2 TBS rice flour
• 1.5 TBS soy sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• *1 TBS dashi concentrate (optional)
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
• **Fried chicken pieces

1. Heat the oil in a small pan, and add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
2. Add the carrots and sweat slowly for 10 minutes with the lid on, giving the odd stir, until softened and starting to caramelise.
3. Stir in the rice flour and S+B curry powder and cook for one minute.
4. Slowly pour in the stock until combined (do this gradually to avoid lumps).
5. Add the sugar, soy sauce and bay leaf and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, so the sauce thickens.
6. Add the salt, garam masala, and dashi concentrate.
7. Puree with a stick blender, or leave it chunky like a big weird.
8. Add the coconut milk to achieve the desired consistency.
9. Serve over steamed Japanese rice with fried chicken pieces.  And Japanese pickles.

*Dashi Concentrate (alternative to instant dashi stock granules)

• 500 ml dashi stock

1. Simmer dashi over low heat until reduced to 50ml-100ml.

The reason I do this is because I like everything in my life to be as awkward as possible.

**Fried Chicken

• chicken thigh pieces, trimmed of most of the fat
• 1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca flour, for dusting
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked (or violently whisked…it’s up to you)
• 1 cup almond meal or almond flour
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• oil for shallow frying

1. Combine the almond meal, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
2. Dust the chicken pieces in the tapioca flour, shaking off the excess.
3. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg.
4. Coat the chicken pieces in the almond flour mixture.
5. Heat 1 cm of oil in a pan over medium high high.
6. Cook a few pieces of chicken at a time so as not to crowd the pan.
7. Cook 2 minutes per side, until crispy, golden, and cooked through.
8. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45aRMPsOrKM