What is the Difference Between Katsu and Karaage

Katsu and Karaage are two popular Japanese fried dishes made with chicken or other meats. Both are deep-fried and crispy, but they use different cooking techniques. Therefore, each dish has its own unique flavor and style.

What is the difference between Katsu and Karaage? Katsu is breaded and fried without marination, while karaage is marinated and coated in starch before frying.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Katsu  
     – Definition, Features
2. What is Karaage
     – Definition, Features
3. Similarities Between Katsu and Karaage
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Katsu and Karaage
     – Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Katsu and Karaage
     – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Key Terms

Katsu, Karaage

What is Katsu

Katsu is a popular Japanese dish containing a breaded and fried cutlet, usually made with chicken or pork. One of the most well-known versions is chicken katsu (also called chikinkatsu or tori katsu in Japanese). It uses juicy chicken coated in panko bread crumbs for a crispy, golden crust. It’s similar to tonkatsu, which is made with pork instead of chicken.

Chicken katsu is often served with tonkatsu sauce, which is a thick, sweet-and-tangy brown sauce made from fruits and vegetables. It usually comes with steamed rice, miso soup, and sometimes shredded cabbage or vegetables. This may be served either as part of a set meal or a full dinner.

Outside Japan, chicken katsu has become a favorite in many countries. In Hawaii, it’s more popular than tonkatsu and is often served with shredded cabbage and a ketchup-like sauce. In the UK, “katsu” is commonly used to refer to Japanese curry dishes, especially chicken katsu curry.

What is Karaage

Karaage is a popular Japanese cooking method where pieces of meat or fish (most commonly chicken) are marinated, lightly coated in flour and potato starch (or corn starch), and then deep-fried until crispy and golden. Unlike tempura, which is made with a wet batter and no marinade, karaage is prepared differently. In karaage, the meat is first marinated, which adds deep flavor. Then it is lightly coated and fried. This method gives karaage a juicy and flavorful inside with a crispy outer layer. When the meat is coated only with starch instead of flour, the dish is sometimes called tatsuta-age.

Although the frying technique dates back to the 17th century, chicken karaage became especially popular in Japan in the 1930s. It was often served at restaurants as a “Chinese-style” dish. Hence, over time, it became a favorite home-cooked meal after World War II. It is now one of Japan’s best-loved comfort foods.

Karaage is usually enjoyed on its own or served with rice and shredded cabbage. Although there are different versions using other meats or seafood, when people say “karaage,” they’re most often talking about the crispy fried chicken version.

Similarities Between Katsu and Karaage

1. Katsu and karaage refer to cooking methods, not just specific dishes. Both can generally be used with different types of meat or fish.
2. People commonly make them using chicken, especially chicken breast, because it’s affordable and easy to cook.
3. Both katsu and karaage are deep-fried, which gives them that satisfying crunch on the outside.

Difference Between Katsu and Karaage

Definition

• Katsu is a Japanese dish made by coating meat, usually chicken or pork, in panko breadcrumbs and deep-frying it until crispy. Karaage is a Japanese cooking method where marinated meat, usually chicken, is coated in starch and deep-fried for a juicy inside and crispy outside.

Coating

• Katsu is coated in panko breadcrumbs. This gives it a crispy and flaky outer layer. Meanwhile, Karaage is coated in flour or starch (like potato starch), which gives it a lighter, slightly crunchier texture.

Marination

• Katsu is not marinated before frying, whereas karaage is marinated first, usually in soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

Serving

• Katsu is often served with katsu sauce and rice or curry, while Karaage is usually served on its own or with rice, and sometimes with a squeeze of lemon or dipping sauces.

FAQ: Katsu and Karaage

1. What’s the difference between karaage and fried chicken?

The main difference is that karaage is marinated before frying, usually with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, which gives it more flavor inside. However, regular fried chicken is often not marinated and is usually coated with flour or batter for crunch. Karaage also uses smaller pieces of chicken and a lighter coating.

2. What is the difference between katsu and fried chicken?

Katsu is made with a thin piece of meat, usually chicken or pork, coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried, which gives it a light, crispy texture. Fried chicken, on the other hand, is usually thicker, often marinated, and has a heavier, crunchier coating made with flour or batter.

3. What makes katsu different?

What makes katsu different is its crispy panko breadcrumb coating and the way it’s deep-fried to create a crunchy outside while keeping the inside juicy. It’s usually served with tonkatsu sauce, rice, and sometimes shredded cabbage.

4. What is the difference between chicken katsu and tonkatsu?

Generally, the difference between chicken katsu and tonkatsu is the meat used. Chicken katsu is made with chicken, while tonkatsu is made with pork. Both are breaded with panko and deep-fried.

5. What is the meaning of karaage?

Karaage means “deep-fried” in Japanese. It’s a cooking technique that involves marinating meat or fish—usually chicken, coating them in flour or starch, and deep-frying until crispy.

Reference:

1. “Chicken katsu.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation. 
2. “Karaage.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation. 

Image Courtesy:

1. “Chicken Karaage – Yakitori Taisho” By Kirk K (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr

2. “Chicken Katsu Curry on Rice – Kintochi (2170458239)” By Alpha from Melbourne, Australia – Chicken Katsu Curry on Rice – Kintochi (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia