“Mochiko chicken is Hawaii’s fried chicken,” said Relle Lum, a nurse practitioner and the founder of the Keeping It Relle cooking blog. Growing up on the island of Maui, she enjoyed the craggy chunks at home. Lum watched her mother and grandmother throw mochiko chicken together without a recipe, but she’s written one down that ensures the right juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside balance and sweet-savory flavor. The key is to let the chicken sit in the punchy marinade of soy sauce, sugar and scallions for a good amount of time, ideally overnight, then to fry it in batches, in oil heated to 325 degrees.

Mochiko Chicken

Recipe from Relle Lum
Adapted by Elyse Inamine

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1/4 cup/40 grams potato starch

• 1/4 cup/40 grams mochiko (sweet rice flour)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2 scallions), plus more for serving

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (from about 2 cloves)

• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• Neutral oil (such as canola), for frying (about 1 1/2 cups)

• Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions:

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the potato starch, mochiko, soy sauce, sugar, scallions, eggs, sesame seeds, garlic, ginger and salt.

Add the chicken to the marinade and stir to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high to 325 degrees. (A deep-fry thermometer is helpful here.) Working in batches and adjusting the heat to maintain the temperature, fry the chicken: Using tongs, transfer chicken to the hot oil, shaking off excess batter, and fry until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side.

Remove chicken from oil and place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet or on a large plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with remaining chicken. Serve with rice and garnish with more scallions, if desired.

Total time: 35 minutes, plus at least 4 hours’ marinating, serves 6-8.

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