Kushiage (Japanese Deep-Fried Skewers)
Kushiage is a fun and exciting dish made with a variety of meat, vegetables and seafood coated in a crunchy panko batter, deep fried and served with a tangy, addictive dipping sauce. It's easy to customize and great for parties!
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 32 bamboo skewers
- 4 slices lotus root (renkon)
- 8 slices eggplant
- 8 quail eggs (boiled)
- 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems removed)
- 8 shrimp (deveined and deshelled)
- 4 pieces Camembert cheese
- 4 pieces pork shoulder
- 4 pieces chicken breast
- cooking oil (for deep frying)
- 150 g all-purpose flour (or cake flour, plus extra for dusting if necessary)
- 250 ml cold water
- 1 egg
- 150 g panko breadcrumbs
- 80 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 60 ml dashi stock (use plant-based for vegetarians and vegans)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp red wine
- 1 tsp tomato ketchup
Instructions
- 1
Start by cutting and drying all of your ingredients, then thread them onto bamboo skewers. For smaller ingrients like quail eggs or shrimp, you can stack 2-3 on one skewer (however, keep in mind the depth of your cooking oil).
- 2
Take a small saucepan and add 80 ml Worcestershire sauce, 60 ml dashi stock, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp red wine and 1 tsp tomato ketchup. Mix well and boil for 1 minute over a medium heat, then set aside for later.
- 3
Start heating oil for deep frying to 170 °C (338 °F) to 180 °C (356 °F). While you wait, combine 150 g all-purpose flour, 250 ml cold water and 1 egg in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Prepare one more plate with 150 g panko breadcrumbs.
- 4
When your oil is ready, dip the skewered ingredients into the batter one at a time before rolling in the panko breadcrumbs. (Tip: If your ingredients are slippery, it can be worthwhile to coat them in a light dusting of flour before battering.)
- 5
Once fully coated in breadcrumbs, carefully place the skewers into the oil and fry for approximately 3 minutes or until golden. (This time is an estimate and depends on the thickness of your ingredients.)
- 6
Fry in small batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much. I recommend frying each ingredient at the same time (e.g. meat together, vegetables together etc.)
- 7
Remove the cooked skewers from the oil and transfer them to a wire rack to drain.
- 8
Serve with your homemade dipping sauce and enjoy!