Mochiko (Hawaiian Fried Chicken) Ramen Noodles

Today we are pairing Hawaiian and Korean cuisine to bring you a real flavour packed, its-got-it-all dish. Crispy golden Mochiko chicken nuggets tossed with curly ramen noodles, garlic and peppers. Add a fried egg and sprinkle of scallions, and eat up!

Ya’ll know how I love Hawaiian food. And let me tell you how much I also adore Korean food. The spiciness, oddness, catchy red colour, and drool worthy bowls filled with a hundred and one things. In Hawaii there is of course the traditional Hawaiian food- lots of fish centred delicacies, coconut confections, and variations of fried chicken(like these Chili Peppa chicken tenders), but there is also lots of Asian inspired cuisine. Think Korean BBQ(omg that stuff is unreal), sushi, and Philipino food.

Mochiko chicken is the Hawaiian version of fried chicken. We also love these Mochiko Chicken Bites wrapped in Nori!! Little pieces of chicken are marinated(usually overnight), in a simple marinade of soy sauce, sugar, scallions, ginger and garlic. The must here, is cornstarch and Mochiko rice flour. Mochiko is a gluten free sweet rice flour ground from a glutinous short grain Japanese rice(called mochigome). 

In Hawaii it is used most often in Mochi(a sticky pink extremely coveted dessert). I actually learned to make mochi for the first time in 6th grade cooking class at Cheifes Kamakahele Middle School. Definitely the best part of middle school!

Mochi rice flour is sweet in itself and it lends a really interesting and totally umami-packed flavour to this chicken! Like, you will not be able to stop munching! It is seriously the best. You can find Mochiko rice flour in the asian section of the supermarket but if it is unavailable, you can make your own, like I do.

How to Make Your Own Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour

You will need short grain glutinous rice(the rice you would use to make sushi).

1.First, add the rice to a bowl and cover it with water. Let that soak for an hour.

2.Next, drain the water and lay out the rice to dry, almost completely.

3.While it is still a tad bit wet, add the rice to a coffee grinder and blend it up! Thats it! You only need a 1/4 cup for this recipe so you’ll have some extra. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, maybe longer. 

Once marinated, this addictive Hawaiian fried chicken gets fried up to golden and crispy perfection. I usually munch while I prep the ramen noodles!

For the ramen, you’re going to simply saute some veg- you can use carrots instead of peppers, or bean sprouts or cabbage, based on what you like! You’ll add some water and let the ramen cook. The water will not cover the noodles, just flip the square of noodles to soak both sides and they will slowly soften up. Gently untangle the ramen and cook until fully softened- this will be the same time the water all reduces. Add some seasonings and that’s it! Bowl um up!

We love that this dish has all the fried chicken flavours, filling ramen noodles, and colourful veggies…I hope you love it to! When you make this dish, tag us on Instagram and share your dinner photos with us! I love getting a peek into your kitchens <3

Lots of love, Estee

Mochiko Chicken Ramen Noodles

Estee

Crispy fried Mochiko chicken with ramen noodles, veggies, and a perfect fried egg.

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Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

  

Mochiko Chicken

• 1.5 kilo chicken(around 3 pieces of chicken breast)
• 1/4 cup Mochiko- sweet rice flour/glutinous rice flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup Soy sauce
• 1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sriracha hot sauce
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Ramen:

• 1 Tbs sesame oil
• 1 Tbs scallion finely sliced
• 1 Tbs garlic crushed
• ¼ cup Onion cut into large cubes
• ¼ cup red pepper or carrot thinly sliced into strips
• 1 heaping Tbs gochujang(red Korean chili paste) you can substitute for sriracha if in a pinch
• 1 cup Water
• 2 packages ramen noodles
• 1/2 tsp chicken soup mix
• 1 Tbs Soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 2 eggs

Instructions

 

Marinade

• Cut chicken into bite or two-bite cubes. Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Add chicken and mix to coat. Place in the fridge to marinate overnight, or for a minimum of half an hour.

Fry

• Heat oil for frying. When oil is hot, gently place chicken pieces in to fry, without crowding the oil. When the first side is a lovely golden color, flip and fry the second side. I like to use chopsticks for this part-hey don't scrape the bottom of the pan like metal tongs. Place fried chicken on paper towels to soak up any excess oil.

Ramen

• While the chicken is frying, heat up a second large pan with sesame oil. Add garlic and scallions and saute until fragrant. Add onion and red pepper or carrot. Saute for about a minute, to lightly soften the veggies but so they stay crunchy! Add the gochujang. Add water, raw ramen noodles, soup mix, soy sauce, and pepper. Flip the square of noodles and once they start softening up, gently separate them.
• Cook until the water is reduced completely and the noodles are fully cooked through- a couple minutes. Push the noddle stir fry to the side of the pan, add another drop of oil, and fry the two eggs(I only fry mine on one side till the bottom is very crispy).
• To serve: Divide the noodles among serving dishes, and top with chicken and fried egg.