Equipment
Ingredients
Fries
- 800 g russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm thick batons
- 2000 ml neutral frying oil
- 5 g kosher salt
Sticky Sweet Sauce
- 60 ml soy sauce
- 45 ml mirin
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 3 g garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh ginger, grated
- 5 g cornstarch
- 15 ml water, cold
Garnish
- 15 g furikake seasoning
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 243 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 52 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1466 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 908 mg
- Calcium
- 34 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 137 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 2.4 mg
- Folate
- 30 mcg
- Water
- 173 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Submerge the cut potato batons in a large bowl of cold water for at least 1 hour to remove excess surface starch.
Drain the potatoes completely and arrange them on a clean kitchen towel. Pat them entirely dry with paper towels to ensure the oil will not splatter during frying.
In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, mirin, granulated sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce. Cook for 1 minute until thickened and sticky, then remove from heat.
Heat the frying oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 160°C/320°F. Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, fry the potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked through but still pale. Remove with a spider skimmer and let them drain on a wire cooling rack.
Increase the oil temperature to 190°C/375°F. Return the fries to the hot oil in batches and fry a second time for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Remove, drain well on the wire rack, and immediately toss lightly with the kosher salt.
Transfer the hot fries to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the warm sticky sweet sauce over the fries and toss vigorously until every fry is evenly coated.
Sprinkle the furikake seasoning generously over the glossy, sauce-coated fries. Toss briefly once more and serve immediately while hot and crispy.
Chef's Notes
- Using russet potatoes is highly recommended for frying due to their high starch and low moisture content, which results in a much crispier exterior.
- Do not skip the soaking step; removing surface starch prevents the fries from sticking together and browning too quickly before cooking through.
- Ensuring the fries are completely dry before lowering them into the oil is a critical safety step to prevent violent splatters.
- Traditional furikake often contains bonito flakes. To accommodate vegetarian or vegan diets, ensure you source a specialized plant-based furikake blend.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Will lose crispness. Reheat in an air fryer or oven.
Reheating: Reheat in a 200C/400F oven for 5-8 minutes, though the texture will be slightly different from freshly made.
Troubleshooting
Fries are soggy and greasy
Cause: Oil temperature dropped too low during frying, or fries were not dried thoroughly before frying
Fix: Return to oil at 190C in very small batches to crisp up before tossing in sauce
Prevention: Dry potatoes meticulously and fry in smaller batches to maintain oil temperature
Sauce is too thick and clumpy
Cause: Too much moisture evaporated during simmering or cornstarch clumped
Fix: Whisk in warm water 1 teaspoon at a time over low heat until the desired glossy consistency is reached
Prevention: Mix cornstarch with cold water thoroughly before adding to the pan, and do not over-reduce
Violent oil splattering when adding potatoes
Cause: Surface moisture remained on the potatoes
Fix: Cannot be fixed once in the oil. Step back and use a splatter screen to protect yourself.
Prevention: Pat potatoes completely dry with paper towels after soaking
Cultural Context
Furikake is a traditional Japanese dry condiment originally created to sprinkle over cooked rice to add intense umami, flavor, and nutrition. By adapting these savory profiles of seaweed, sesame seeds, and dried fish into a sauce-coated french fry, this recipe creates a playful culinary bridge between American diner classics and Japanese comfort flavors.
