Zangi

Step 1: Pat 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks dry and put it in a bowl. Add 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp black pepper and rub in well. Sake contains alcohol; for an alcohol-free marinade use 1 tbsp water and 1 tsp rice vinegar instead.

Step 2: Crack in 1 egg and mix until the chicken is coated in a thick, glossy marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavour.

Step 3: Stir 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tsp sugar and ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.

Step 4: Heat 4 ¼ cups vegetable oil, for frying in a deep, heavy pan to 325°F. Mix 1 ¾ oz plain flour and 1 ¾ oz potato starch (katakuriko) or cornflour on a plate, lift the chicken out of the marinade and press each piece into the mixture until well coated.

Step 5: Fry a third of the chicken for 6–7 minutes, turning, until golden brown. Common mistake: frying bone-in pieces in very hot oil from the start. The coating goes dark before the meat by the bone is cooked; start at 325°F and finish hotter.

Step 6: Lift onto a rack and fry the rest in two more batches. Leave each batch to rest on the rack for at least 4 minutes while the heat spreads to the bone.

Step 7: Raise the oil to 350°F and fry all the pieces again in batches for 1½ minutes, until deep reddish-brown and crisp. Check the largest piece next to the bone: it must reach 165°F/165 °F with juices running clear and no pink meat.

Step 8: Drain on the rack and serve hot with the vinegar-pepper dip on the side.