When we were in Osaka this past summer, one of the local specialties that we enjoyed most was Kushikatsu (串カツ) also known as Kushiage (串揚げ). Similar to hot pot, there is a sense of communal eating with kushikatsu, where you are sitting or standing side-by-side with other diners, partaking in the enjoyment of the good eats, the dunking of the sauce, the lively chatters and the casual yet super fun atmosphere. Today we’ll make this street food from the comfort of our own home!
What is Kushikatsu?
Kushikatsu (串カツ), also known as Kushiage (串揚げ), are deep fried panko crusted meat and vegetables on bamboo skewers called Kushi. As you may already know katsu refers to cutlet and age means deep fried. There are Kushikatsu specialized restaurants (or stands) with just counter seatings that sell these deep fried skewers all over Japan, especially in Osaka. Originated in the early 1900’s in Osaka, Kushikatsu was considered as a fast food as they were easy to eat, cheap, and fulfilling. There are a wide selection of food ranging from meat to vegetables and seafood skewered on sticks, all laid out on large trays for you to choose from. You would make the order directly to the chef (or the vendor) by picking out the ingredients you want to eat. The chef would then dip the skewers in the egg and flour batter, lightly coat them in panko breadcrumbs, and deep fry right in front of you. Once the foods are cooked, they are served straight to you piping hot and before eating you dunk the kushikatsu into a shared sauce pot of thin sauce.
Remember, No Double-Dipping!
Because people who sit next to you are also sharing the same sauce pot, there’s always an etiquette to observe when you eat kushikatsu (kushiage). The most important rule is no double dipping. Some kushikatsu restaurants even have instructions in English and other languages to warn travelers not to dip food into the shared sauce pot after you take a bite off the skewers. As common sense would apply, putting your food after a bite into a communal pot can be unsanitary and is seen as a bad manner. What if you want more sauce for the remaining kushikatsu? No worries, the restaurants have that taken care of. You can use a slice of cabbage served complimentary on your counter and scoop up the sauce from the pot and pour it over your kushikatsu on your plate.
Various Ingredients for Kushikatsu
Kushikatsu can be made with all kinds of meat, seafood, and seasonal vegetables. Variety is key, so the list is a long one.
1. Meat
Beef Pork meat Cartilage Sausage Chicken Tsukune (Meatball) Gizzard (Sunagimo) Chicken skin Horse meat Egg Quail egg
2. Seafood
Atlantic horse mackerel (Aji) Japanese smelt-whitings (Kisu) Smelt (Shishamo) Blackwater smelt (Wakasagi) Prawn and shrimp Scallop Oyster Octopus Cuttlefish
3. Vegetables
Onion Eggplant Bamboo shoot Okra Tomato Potato Sweet potato Yam Bell pepper Lotus root Burdock root Kabocha squash Broccoli Asparagus Shiitake mushroom Shishito pepper
4. Others
Fish cakes – Chikuwa, Kamaboko, Hanpen Dairy – Cheese Asparagus wrapped with bacon Chikuwa filled with cheese Mochi (rice cakes) Gyoza Shumai Sushi ginger And more!
3 Tips to Make Perfect Kushikatsu
Here are a few tips I have for you when you make kushikatsu at home.
1. Coat the batter lightly
To enjoy the maximum flavor of the ingredients, you don’t want thick batter around them. Just enough coating of batter so panko would adhere will do the job.
2. Use Japanese panko
Instead of regular breadcrumbs, you want to use Japanese panko for the best, light, airy, and crispy texture. Unlike tonkatsu or chicken katsu, kushikatsu always use very fine panko so we need to use a food processor or put the panko in a bag to rub or use a roller pin to break the panko into smaller pieces.
3. Deep fry veggies first before the meat
When the oil is hot and ready for deep frying, you want to start with the vegetables or more plain foods first, leaving the meat or strong flavor ingredients for later. That way, the oil stays clean for the plain food without infiltrating the flavors. As you get to the savory food, the oil tends to get darker and flavorful toward the end.
How to Enjoy Kushikatsu at Home
Kushikatsu (Kushiage) is usually enjoyed with a thin savory sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce. You can mix Worcestershire with other ingredients like what I did here to create your own because Worcestershire sauce alone can be a bit too strong. Mr. JOC feels that he needs a bit of spice, so he sprinkles Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven spice) on his skewers to give them an extra boost. Kushikatsu may not be an everyday meal you’d serve for your family, but it sure makes a special feast on an occasion that worths celebrating. They make a great party food too! Maybe a theme like ‘Street Foods Party’ for any upcoming holiday get-together would be a fun idea. Your guests would be happy to contribute the drinks and desserts and anything else that go well with the feast.
Kushikatsu (Kushiage) is also featured in a popular Japanese Drama, Kodoku no Gurume (Season 6, Episode 1).
JOC Kodoku no Gurume Recipes Series
Champon Kushikatsu (Kushiage) Pan Fried Ginger Pork Belly Pickled Tomatoes
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