Almost every country in the world absorbs cooking techniques or ingredients from foreign influences. That's what makes the culinary universe even more exciting to explore. Today what will be discussed is chicken nanban from Japan, which is getting more and more popular every day. Are you one of his biggest fans? Now you can make it yourself at home without going to the restaurant!
What is Chicken Nanban?
Try, you look again. How come Japanese cuisine looks like all traditional, huh? Various kinds of dishes seem to be served with warm white rice, vegetable salad, and also miso soup. Even though chicken nanban, right, the dishes that exist because of foreign influences. Likewise, for example if you see the name chicken katsu, or even beef hamburg.
The answer is, it's not surprising because the Japanese are very ingrained in their love of rice, and such a combination makes the nutrition complete. Do you like rice too much? Aren't Indonesians like that too? It turned out to be a little different. Often you will find Japanese people enjoying beef steak with white rice! Unlike Indonesians who are more accustomed to enjoying it with fried potatoes or mashed potatoes. What is combined usually matches the theme here, but in Japan, many foreign dishes are still combined with rice.
Re-acquainted with chicken nanban, this dish is categorized as yoshoku (Western cuisine), or the opposite of wasoku (Japanese cuisine). Previously, the deep-frying technique was unknown in Japanese cuisine, and was only taught by Portuguese traders in the century of exploration. From there, Japan at the same time adapted many ingredients and other foreign dishes that are still widely consumed today.
Categorized as fried chicken, chicken nanban is different from chicken katsu. For example, don't use breadcrumbs so the texture is not as crispy as chicken katsu. Then, the presence of tartar sauce became the next hallmark. Usually the fried chicken that has been cut into pieces is placed on top of romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes, then the chicken is covered with a tartar sauce made of mayonnaise that is mixed well with pieces of hard-boiled egg and onions. Enjoyment!
Try Other Japanese Cuisine!
As an abundant and affordable source of protein, you can be creative with using chicken in other Japanese dishes. If you've already mentioned chicken katsu and chicken nanban, then next time you need to try chicken teriyaki or yakitori.
Now, Japanese cooking ingredients are no less easy to find in the market. The good news is, a variety of Japanese foods are suitable to be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. It's flexible and less expensive, so there's no other reason not to cook at home. Good luck!
Ingredients
Royco Special Chicken Broth 
Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise
- 500g skinless chicken breast filet, cut into 4 cm cubes
- 200 g romaine lettuce or iceberg, lunch
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 5 teaspoons wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or Japanese soy sauce
- ½ Teaspoon Royco Special Chicken Broth
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper powder oil, for frying
- 10 teaspoons Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise
- 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 3 teaspoons onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons liquid milk
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
6 Method Steps
- Step 1: Coat the chicken with soy sauce and half of the Royco Special Chicken Broth, salt, and pepper until evenly distributed. Leave in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 2: Mix the flour with Royco Special Chicken Broth. Set aside.
- Step 3: Dip the chicken pieces into the egg, coat with flour. Repeat the same process for the remaining chicken. Set aside.
- Step 4: Heat the oil, fry the chicken until cooked. Lift and drain. Set aside.
- Step 5: Sauce: Mix all ingredients together including Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise.
- Step 6: Take a serving plate, arrange the romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes on one side of the plate. Put the fried chicken next to it. Serve with sauce.