25 Days of Christmas Recipes, Day 8: Japanese-Style ‘KFC’ Christmas

Day 8 and we’ve hit a full-on fusion meal. When I was younger my friend ‘Pepsi’ and I got into an argument. I’d recently learned that in Japan they would have KFC meals for Christmas day and she argued that it made no sense as surely the Japanese don’t celebrate Christmas? However, despite the argument, the KFC for a Japanese Christmas stuck with me and I’ve since looked into their Christmas meals in more depth (still can’t answer my friend’s question though, I’ll admit). So when I was planning some Christmas themed recipes I really wanted to create a KFC meal– with Japanese inspiration (but using ingredients I could actually get). Thus my JFC (Japanese Fried Chicken) recipe was born. Is it exactly what the Japanese eat when they buy their KFC meals for Christmas? No. Is it a tasty treat and one of my Mum’s favourite meals we cooked? You better believe it. For an extra crispy chip/fry, after roasting them in the oven, give them a quick deep fry in oil at 190 degrees C. In my opinion, it’s the perfect chip/fry (hopefully in the New Year I’ll be putting this to the test so stay tuned).

Ingredients:

PINEAPPLE, SOY AND GINGER KETCHUP

• ½ Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 1tbsp Vegetable or Sunflower Oil
• 340g Tinned Pineapple, drained and the juice reserved for later
• 1 Garlic Clove, peeled
• 1tsp Ground Ginger
• 4tbsps Soy Sauce
• 1tbsp Tomato Puree
• 6tbsps Rice Vinegar
• 3tbsps Brown Sugar

ROAST POTATO CHIPS

• Veg Oil
• 4 Medium/Large potatoes
• ½ tbsp Marmite

POPCORN TURKEY

• 3tbsp Sesame Seeds
• 3tbsp Plain Flour
• ½ tbsp Chilli Flakes
• 2tbsps Soy Sauce
• 2tbsps Honey
• ½ tsp English Mustard
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 Turkey Escalopes

WASABI COLESLAW

• 1 Fennel Bulb, cut into thin strips
• 2 Granny Smith Apples, cut into 2cm cubes (a squeeze of lemon over the top to prevent browning)
• Dried Cranberries, optional

WASABI MAYONNAISE

• ½ tsp Grain Mustard
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 150ml Sunflower/Vegetable or other flavourless Oil
• Wasabi, to taste
• Honey, to taste
• Lemon juice, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C/Gas Mark 6.
2. Start your ketchup: Put your oil in a small pan and put over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add your onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft and translucent.
3. Whilst your onions cook, put pineapple into small food processor and puree.
4. Finely grate garlic into the onions and add your ground ginger.
5. Add soy sauce and tomato paste and cook for a further minute
6. Add your blended pineapple, your reserved juice from the pineapple, rice vinegar and brown sugar.  Mix well. 
7. Bring the ketchup to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for roughly 45-50 minutes until reduced and thickened.
8. Move onto your potatoes whilst your ketchup reduces. Cover the bottom of a deep oven tray with a layer of veg oil and put in the oven to heat up.
9. Peel and wash potatoes and cut into 2cm thick chips.
10. Put your potatoes into a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water and add a pinch of salt.
11. Place pan on a high heat and bring to the boil. Boil potatoes for 8-10 minutes or until cooked but still slightly firm.
12. Strain your potatoes through a colander. Leave to dry out for 3 minutes and then shake the colander to fluff up the outsides of the chips.
13. Remove your oiled tray from the oven and pour in your potatoes. Put your marmite on top of the potatoes and allow to melt for 30 seconds.
14. Using a fork turn your potatoes around in the oil and marmite until they’re all evenly coated. Season them with salt. Place back in the oven and leave to cook for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crispy. When ready transfer the potatoes to a plate covered with kitchen roll.
15. Next, your coleslaw. Put your cut fennel and apple into a bowl.
16. In another medium-large clean bowl add your egg yolks and your mustard.
17. Beat together with a whisk until the egg starts to get paler.
18. Slowly drizzle in your oil, whisking as you do until the mayonnaise has thickened and stands in stiff peaks.
19. Add wasabi, honey and lemon juice to taste. Season.
20. Pour enough mayonnaise into your fennel and apple to coat all of the coleslaw and mix. Put to the side or in the fridge until serving.
21. When your ketchup has reduced, remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Pass through a sieve to get a really smooth texture. Set to the side whilst you get on with the turkey.
22. Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180 degree C or heat a deep pan of oil on the stove until it reaches the same temperature.
23. Put your sesame seeds, flour and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Mix.
24. Put soy sauce, honey and English mustard from your Turkey Popcorn ingredients into another bowl. Mix.
25. On a chopping board, cut your turkey into 2 cm chunks.
26. Put your turkey chunks into your wet mixture and stir until coated.
27. Wash your turkey-board and knife.
28. One at a time, shake excess liquid off the turkey chunks and add them to the dry mixture. Place carefully into your hot oil and fry in batches until they are a lovely deep brown colour and crispy. Drain them on a plate covered with kitchen roll. Repeat until you have cooked all of your turkey.
29. Serve your Bucket of Turkey however you wish and enjoy! Top your coleslaw with dried cranberries, if you want to add some festive colour and fruitiness.