63rd Edition: [Izakaya Katsuhiko] x Specially Cultivated Gohyakumangoku Rice Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Genshu (Freshly Pressed)
There's less than a month left in the year. In Nagaoka, Niigata, people are preparing for winter by putting up fences around their garden trees and changing their car tires, and now all that's left is to wait for the snow to fall. Snowfall is an annual occurrence, but it makes life difficult. However, snow is also an important part of "Echigo's winter brewing," so it's a complicated feeling. Steam from the rice is already rising from the brewery grounds, and brewing is in full swing. The master brewer and other brewery workers are working hard under these challenging conditions, pouring their hearts into delivering "delicious sake" that embodies the spirit of Yoshinogawa. For greetings to those who have helped you, or for your New Year's celebrations, please consider Yoshinogawa. If you have the time, please stop by the brewery!
Now, for our "Tipsy OneDish" segment, we visit restaurants and bars throughout Niigata Prefecture to ask them to come up with snacks that pair well with Yoshinogawa sake. For the last Tipsy OneDish of the year, we visit Nagaoka City, the hometown of Yoshinogawa.It is located atIzakaya Katsuhiko」We had a restaurant prepare dishes that paired perfectly with our "Specially Cultivated Gohyakumangoku Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Sake <Freshly Pressed>"!
This sake was born from the desire to "create delicious sake with rice that the brewery has carefully cultivated." It is the first in a series of specially cultivated rice sakes, using Gohyakumangoku rice grown by Yoshinogawa Agricultural Products and certified as a "Special Cultivation Agricultural Product of Niigata Prefecture." It is "Specially Cultivated Rice Gohyakumangoku Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Genshu <Freshly Pressed>." Because it is bottled as unfiltered, you can enjoy the freshness of freshly pressed sake and the pure taste of Japanese sake. This series will be released in March as a low-temperature bottle-aged sake and in June as a snow-cellar bottle-aged sake. The storage method for this <Freshly Pressed> has been changed so that you can enjoy the changes in taste as time passes. First, please enjoy the first release, the freshly pressed sake.
This year's "Tipsy OneDish" will be the grand finale:Izakaya Katsuhiko」This is a pub that opened in January 2022 in Kanda, Nagaoka City. The owner, Katsuhiko Aoki, opened the shop in this location with the desire to create a place where local people can gather and relax. You can enjoy a meal in a homey atmosphere with your neighbors, acquaintances, or even your family. They also serve lunch, so please give it a try.
SuchIzakaya KatsuhikoThe dishes introduced to us this time by "[Name]" are"Niigata Prefecture-produced Koshino Chicken Karaage (Thigh & Breast)"is!
Now, let's get straight to the recipe!
The recipe is here ↓
★Ingredients★ (for 7-8 pieces)
Chicken (thigh and breast): approximately 200g
・Salted rice malt: 4 tablespoons *Use liquid salted rice malt
• Sake: 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons of rice vinegar (grain vinegar is also acceptable)
Sugar: 1 tablespoon
Grated ginger: 1 tablespoon
・Flour: Appropriate amount
Potato starch: appropriate amount
*Please use wheat flour and potato starch in a 1:1 ratio.
★Recipe★
1. Cut the chicken (thigh and breast) into bite-sized pieces.
2. Add salt koji, sake, rice vinegar, sugar, and grated ginger, mix well, and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Mix wheat flour and potato starch in a 1:1 ratio, and coat the chicken, which has been left to rest overnight, with the mixture.
4. Fry in oil at a medium temperature of approximately 160 degrees Celsius for about 4 minutes. Using a little extra oil is recommended.
5.Complete~
"Koshi no Tori" is a type of chicken with firm, flavorful meat, and marinating it in salt koji makes it even juicier and richer. While lemon juice is the classic topping for fried chicken, manager Aoki also recommends "Cajun seasoning," a chili pepper-based spice. It transforms the dish into a higher-class flavor unlike anything you've had before. It pairs well with Junmai Ginjo unfiltered sake <Shiboritate>, and the fragrant, fresh, and rich sake becomes surprisingly crisp, making for a perfect pairing. Incidentally, Aoki prefers breast meat, while his wife prefers thigh meat, so you can enjoy the fried chicken according to your preference. Be sure to try the moist fried chicken paired with Junmai Ginjo unfiltered sake <Shiboritate> at the restaurant.
Thank you for another year of Horoyoi OneDish. Next year, we will continue to introduce you to wonderful restaurants and delicious seasonal Yoshinogawa sake. We will do our best next year with "Horoyoi OneDish" and "Yoshinogawa is the best sake" to bring smiles to everyone's faces! Thank you for your continued support!
The menu items introduced this time are「Izakaya Katsuhiko」Mr. Miss.You can eat it there!
・"Niigata Prefecture-produced Koshino Chicken Karaage (Thigh & Breast)"
2 pieces... 350 yen (tax included)
4 pieces... 640 yen (tax included)
6 pieces... 860 yen (tax included)
Recommended Menu
Salmon marinated in miso: 1,180 yen (tax included)
This dish features Norwegian salmon marinated by the owner, Mr. Aoki, in a blend of Echigo rice koji miso. When grilled, it releases a wonderful aroma of miso, and the sweet miso, along with the salmon's fat, spreads delightfully in your mouth. This dish also pairs perfectly with our "Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Genshu <Freshly Pressed>", so please enjoy it at our restaurant.
「Izakaya KatsuhikoAt "[Restaurant Name]", they also offer Ginjo Gokujo Yoshinogawa and carefully selected dry sake! Please enjoy comparing different Yoshinogawa sakes.
The details of this event will be broadcast on NST on December 9th (Saturday) at 6 PM.
Channel: "I Love Niigata! Channel" ↓↓
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXScRoBNwPISEKWqBXeGiwQ
——————-☆The shop we requested this time☆——————-
「Izakaya Katsuhiko」
【address】2-5-18 Nishikanda-cho, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture
[Telephone] 090-4965-1147
[Opening Hours] Lunch: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM (Last Order 1:30 PM)
Dinner: 16:30 - 22:00 (Last order 21:30)
[Regular closing day] Tuesday
[Total number of seats] 19 seats
*We will be closed for the New Year holidays from January 31, 2023 to January 2, 2024.
We plan to reopen for business on January 3rd, 2024.