Now I know fried chicken is not the healthiest of foods but, a little bit of what you fancy won’t hurt you, everything in moderation.

Ingredients
4 medium squid weighing 100-150g each 
4 chicken thighs, skin on, boneless 
1 - 2 litres of flavourless oil for deep frying (the amount will depend entirely on what pan you are frying in 

Marinade Ingredients 
50ml cooking sake 
1½ tbsp mirin 
1½ tbsp vinegar 
1½ tbsp lime juice 
1 tbsp sriracha 
½ tbsp sesame oil 
5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed 
2 shallots or 1 banana shallot roughly chopped 
7g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly 
¼ tsp salt 
Pinch of ground black pepper 

Seasoned Flour Ingredients  
250g cornflour 
1 tsp ground black pepper 
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds 
½ tsp dashi powder 
¼ tsp chilli powder 
¼ tsp ground ginger 

Method
Put all of the marinade ingredients into a food processor and blitz until no large chunks remain - it does not have to be perfectly smooth. 

Unlike other fried chicken, you want these to be smallish, the flesh needs to cook before the coating burns.  For your average chicken thigh this will mean they should be cut into 3, larger thighs will need to be cut in 4 or 5.  Think thin-ish strips.  Put the cut thighs into the marinade, cover and put into the fridge for at least an hour. 

When you are ready to cook, put the oven on to 180c.  Mix all of the seasoned flour ingredients together in a bowl large enough to coat your chicken in, make sure it is well mixed.   

Put the oil into a deep wide pan and put the oil up to the half way point - don't be tempted to go any higher because when the chicken goes in it will bubble up and you don't want it to overflow as you will get an unwanted fire. 

Heat the oil to 170c, use a thermometer if you have one but if not, you can put a cube of bread in, if it floats and starts to sizzle the oil is hot, for 170c it should take 20-25 seconds to go golden.  When you are happy with your oil heat, take the largest piece of chicken out of the marinade and let any excess marinade fall back into the marinade pot and then put into the flour and coat well, ensuring everything is covered.  Cook the largest piece first because you will need to check how done it is and gage the other chicken accordingly. I usually find I can get 4 pieces in the flour at one time and then I cook those few pieces.  Very carefully drop the 4 pieces of chicken into the oil one at a time.  Continue with the coating of the next 4 pieces. 

Get yourself an oven proof dish and line with 4 pieces of kitchen towel.  After 6-8 minutes your chicken should be golden brown, carefully drain off your chicken pieces and test the large piece.  Don't rush this process because you want the chicken to be cooked inside.  If you have a thermometer the chicken should read 65c, if you do not then cut the chicken across the fattest point and check it is not pink.  If it is pink still then pop the chicken back into the oil for another couple of mins.

When you are happy with your chicken, put into the oven dish and into the oven.  Reduce the oven temperature immediately to 140c and continue frying in batches until everything is cooked.   

The chicken should not need any seasoning as the flour is seasoned but check.  Serve either on its own, with mayo (ponzu mayo works really nicely) or in buns. 

Don't blame me if you want this weekly :-) 

- Recipe from Japaneasy by Tim Anderson