Chicken Chicken Gobo (Fried Chicken and Burdock)
チキンチキンごぼう · Chikin Chikin Gobo
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Chicken Chicken Gobo is one of Japan's most famous school lunch dishes: bite-size fried chicken and thin slices of burdock root, each dusted in potato starch and fried until crisp, then tossed in a sweet-savory soy glaze with a scattering of edamame. It was born in the school lunch program of Yamaguchi Prefecture, where it became such a hit that children now count it among their favorites. The crunchy coating and glossy sauce win over even kids who usually push burdock to the side of the plate. For toddlers, the burdock is softened in the microwave first and the sauce is kept a little lighter, so the whole family can share one pot.
Toddlers to adults. Portion out the children's share before the final seasoning, then season the rest for adults.
Wheat-free, but uses soy sauce (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 30 ggobo (burdock root)A long, slender, earthy-tasting root vegetable with a pleasant crunch, usually scraped rather than peeled. Substitute: Parsnip or carrot.
- 3 gpotato starch (for the burdock)
- 54 gchicken thigh
- 4.5 gpotato starch (for the chicken)
- to tasteoil for deep-frying
- 7.5 gfrozen edamame
Seasonings (A)
- 3.8 gsoy sauce
- 2 gsugar
- 2 gmirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
- 27 mlwater
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- gobo (burdock root) (ごぼう)
- A long, slender, earthy-tasting root vegetable with a pleasant crunch, usually scraped rather than peeled. Substitute: Parsnip or carrot.
- mirin (みりん)
- Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice seasoning that adds gentle sweetness and a glossy finish. Hon-mirin (true mirin) contains about 14% alcohol; "mirin-style seasoning" has little or no alcohol. Some alcohol can remain after short cooking. If you prefer no alcohol for children, use the substitute. Substitute: For each tablespoon of mirin, use 1 tablespoon water plus 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar.
Directions
Video is in Japanese — the steps below are synced to it, so tap ▶ on a step to jump to that moment.
- 1
Cut the gobo into 5mm-thick diagonal slices and soak in water for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander and pat both sides dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken (karaage-size pieces) in half. Note: If you are also making a toddler version, wrap the still-wet gobo in plastic wrap and microwave at 1200W for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to soften it, then pat dry.
- 2
Coat the gobo and the chicken each with potato starch.
- 3
Deep-fry the gobo in 170°C (340°F) oil for about 2 minutes, tap the pieces lightly from above to separate them, then fry for about 2 minutes more.
- 4
Next, fry the chicken for about 3 minutes, then finish over high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until crisp. Microwave the frozen edamame at 1200W for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Note: The oil spatters more easily over high heat, so take care not to get burned.
- 5
Put the (A) seasonings in a pot and bring to a simmer over low heat for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat, add all the fried ingredients and the edamame, and toss to coat. Note: If you are also making a toddler version, toss with about 70% of the combined seasonings and set the toddler portion aside. For elementary-school age and up, add the remaining seasonings to taste and heat briefly.
- 6
Once the sauce has cooked down and coats everything, it's done. Note: When serving to children, do not include the edamame for children age 5 and under.
Tips for Best Results
- Fry the gobo until the surface takes on color and the chicken until the skin is crisp; a proper fry makes all the difference once they are tossed in the sauce.
Refrigerator Storage
Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave before eating.
Keeps for: 2 to 3 days
Note: Freezing is not recommended, as the gobo loses its texture.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 249 kcal | 498 kcal | 249 kcal |
| Protein | 10.6 g | 21.3 g | 10.6 g |
| Fat | 17.1 g | 34.2 g | 17.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14.6 g | 29.1 g | 14.6 g |
| Fiber | 2.3 g | 4.5 g | 2.3 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 24 mg | 48 mg | 24 mg |
| Iron | 0.6 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.6 mg |
| Potassium | 316.5 mg | 633 mg | 316.5 mg |
| Phosphorus | 132 mg | 264 mg | 132 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | Phosphorus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 249 kcal | 10.6 g | 17.1 g | 14.6 g | 2.3 g | 0.8 g | 24 mg | 0.6 mg | 316.5 mg | 132 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 498 kcal | 21.3 g | 34.2 g | 29.1 g | 4.5 g | 1.5 g | 48 mg | 1.2 mg | 633 mg | 264 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
