JAPANESE PLANT-BASED KARAAGE

PREPARING THE PROTEIN. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the soy protein, and return to a boil. Once the water returns to a boil, turn off the heat and place a drop lid into the pot to keep the protein completely submerged. Rehydrate for 5 minutes. Strain off the water, and allow the protein to cool down a bit. Use your hands to gently wring out excess moisture, and set the protein aside.

MARINATING THE PROTEIN. Grate the ginger and garlic or finely chop it with a knife. Combine the protein, ginger, garlic, sake, and soy sauce in a bowl and mix well so that the seasonings are evenly distributed. Marinate for 30 minutes, or up to an hour.

FORMING THE KARAAGE. When the protein is finished marinating, add the rice flour and mix with a spoon just until the mix comes together. The karaage should be coated in a light "batter" and the pieces should stick together easily.

FRYING THE KARAAGE. Prepare a small plate or bowl with some rice flour to coat the karaage just before frying. Add the oil to a pot that will hold all of the karaage in one even layer and set it over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, use your hands to form the karaage into two-bite pieces (30 grams), coat it lightly in the rice flour, and carefully add each piece to the oil. Once all of the pieces have been added, start flipping the pieces so that they cook on all sides. The pieces are ready to flip when they appear lightly golden around the edges. Once the pieces are fully cooked, remove them to a tray or plate lined with a kitchen towel to drain off excess oil while the rest of the pieces finish cooking.

HOW TO SERVE. Divide the pieces equally onto serving dishes. There should be 3-4 pieces per serving. Season with a small amount of sea salt and garnish with a slice of citrus. I used sudachi because it was on sale at the store and I like to grate the skin onto the karaage, but lemon is the go-to most times that I make this.