Photo/Illutration Chicken nanban (Chikako Tada)

Japanese dishes are often sweet. That’s rare among world cuisines, in my opinion (although Thai food can also be sweet, I believe). Having lived overseas for nine years, I now feel a tad uncomfortable every time I sprinkle sugar on the rice of sushi, on the carrot in kimpira or on the sliced meat for ginger pork. It’s a complicated feeling.

Chicken nanban, introduced here, is also sweet. The word nanban is generally used to mean in a foreign style. Chicken nanban is deep-fried chicken coated with a tangy sweet and sour sauce and topped with a tartar sauce that includes mashed hard-boiled eggs. Tartar sauce is also good with fried fish.

I learned this recipe at an izakaya called Tamanegi-ya in Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture. Tamanegi-ya’s main offering is yakitori, but the chicken nanban served there is the most popular. This may be because the restaurant is located near a university and attracts many twentysomethings and families.

Shredded cabbage is placed in the center of the plate. I guess they wanted everyone to be able to enjoy the chicken nanban together.

The owner gave me his secret recipe for the sweet and sour sauce. The recipe was written as one would expect for a restaurant: “1,080 ml of vinegar, 600 g of sugar ...” The amount of vinegar and sugar was very large, so I reduced to make it easier. While the sugar seems like a lot, it is the correct amount.

Keep the heat on medium because the sauce will burn if it gets overcooked.

The tartar sauce will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks and goes well with fried fish or tofu. It will turn your table into an izakaya bar counter!

Ingredients for 2 servings

● Tartar sauce

2 boiled eggs / 2 Tbsp chopped onions / 4 Tbsp mayonnaise / 1/3 tsp salt / 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

1. Place onion in a microwave and heat at 600 watts for 40 seconds to remove the sharp taste.

2. Mix all other ingredients and mash with the back of a fork.

● Sweet and sour sauce

1/2 lemon / 1/2 onion / 1/4 carrot / 1/2 clove / 2 tsp ginger / 200 ml vinegar / 100 g sugar / 4 Tbsp soy sauce

Directions

1. Thinly slice lemon, onion, carrot and ginger.

2. Place all ingredients in a pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. It will be fine if it thickens and becomes half the amount. Then strain in a colander.

● Chicken nanban

300 g chicken thigh (or breast) / 4 Tbsp flour / 1/2 egg / 1/2 tsp salt / oil, for frying

Directions

1. Remove streaks from chicken. Sprinkle salt, then cut in half.

2. Coat the chicken evenly with flour. Soak the chicken in the beaten egg, coating the entire surface.

3. Add oil to a frying pan about 2 cm deep. Heat to about 170 degrees, fry for a total of 8 minutes.

4. Cut into 4 or 5 pieces. Coat each piece with sweet and sour sauce and serve.

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Scan this QR code with your smartphone to view the recipe video in English.
https://www.youtube.com/c/PenandSpoon

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This article originally appeared in the June 4, 2023, issue of Asahi Weekly.

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Chikako Tada

Chikako Tada: The author of seven cookbooks, Tada is a Japanese food journalist and editor of Pen & Spoon, a website devoted to food (https://pen-and-spoon.com/). She worked as a newspaper reporter for 12 years before going freelance. She spent two years studying baking in Paris and began making bento around 2016 during her seven-year stay in India. She returned to Japan in 2020 and lives in Fukuoka.

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