Deep-fried Dish

Katsu karē is a Japanese curry variation made with a combination of tonkatsu (breaded and fried pork or chicken cutlet) and curry sauce. The dish is sometimes served with just the curry sauce, and sometimes with the full curry &ndash; including meat and vegetables. On the other hand, it is almost always served with rice or over rice. In the region of Kansai, beef cutlet is typically used instead of chicken or pork.

Katsu karē

Kavaabu is a traditional snack originating from the Maldives. These fish fritters are usually made with a combination of smoked tuna, onions, ginger, grated coconut, hot peppers, lime juice, rice, curry leaves, flour, turmeric, oil, and salt. The mixture of these ingredients is bound with a bit of flour and it's shaped into balls. The balls are deep-fried in hot oil until dark golden brown. They're drained and can be served hot or cold. It's recommended to enjoy kavaabu with a cup of tea on the side.

Kavaabu

Khuushuur is a savory Mongolian pastry that is traditionally filled with a mixture of ground mutton and onions, but there are a few variations that include beef, garlic or peppers, as well as other vegetables. This crescent-shaped pastry is usually deep-fried and is meant to be eaten by hand. It is mostly enjoyed as street food, but it is also served in local restaurants, where the order usually includes four pieces of khuushuur accompanied by lettuce or pickles.

Khuushuur

Kibbeling is a popular Dutch street food item consisting of pieces of fish that are dipped in batter, deep-fried in hot oil, and served with a dipping sauce such as garlic sauce, remoulade, ravigote, or whiskey sauce. In the Netherlands, kibbeling is mostly consumed as a snack, but it can also be prepared for dinner, when it is recommended to pair it with French fries, a fresh salad, and a sauce of choice.

Kibbeling

Korean corndog is a unique twist on a hot dog prepared by coating a sausage in corn dog batter, dipping it into french fries, then deep-frying the whole thing in oil. The dish is presented skewered on a stick and it is usually consumed on the go. Hot dog vendors sell them throughout Korea, and there are a few variations, so they can also be wrapped in bacon, mashed potatoes, or seaweed, while tomato ketchup is typically used as the main condiment.

Korean Corndog

South Korea

Korean Fried Chicken, also known as 'Yangnyeom Chicken' when coated with sauce, is a popular Korean dish made by deep-frying chicken pieces twice to achieve an extra crispy texture. Unlike Western fried chicken, it is typically seasoned with a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce made from gochujang (Korean red chili paste), garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and other ingredients. This dish gained popularity in South Korea during the late 20th century and is often enjoyed with pickled radish and beer, a pairing known as 'chimaek' (chicken and maekju, meaning beer). It holds cultural significance as a common party food and late-night snack.

Korean Fried Chicken

Korokke is a variety of Japanese deep-fried dishes that are a version of the French dish called croquette. It consists of a combination of mashed potatoes and chopped meat, seafood, or vegetables. The combination of those ingredients is shaped in a patty and rolled in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, then deep-fried. It is said that the French croquette was introduced to Japan in 1887, but today it can be found in almost every supermarket and store in Japan, since it is inexpensive, yet very tasty and flavorful. With its huge popularity, there is also a number of korokke varieties including potato, meat, tuna, curry, cream, and okara korokke. If the dish is placed in a sandwich, between two slices of bread, it is then called korokke pan or korokke sando. Korokke is often served with a type of Worcestershire sauce at the table and it is eaten with chopsticks, but if it's bought from street vendors, it usually comes wrapped in paper and is eaten using your hands.

Korokke

Kroket is a modern Dutch counterpart to the classic French croquettes, consisting of ingredients such as meat, seafood, cheese, and gravy that are refrigerated, rolled into logs, breaded and deep-fried until they develop a golden-brown color. The most typical Dutch kroket is made with meat ragout covered in breadcrumbs. The oldest recipe for the Dutch kroket is believed to date back to 1830, and since then, it has appeared in numerous Dutch cookbooks. Originally, kroket was served as a side dish, but after World War II, it quickly became a popular snack item. Today, kroketten can also be served in a croquette sandwich or accompanied by French fries, in numerous varieties such as goulash kroket, prawn kroket, and vegetarian kroket. There is also the bitterbal, a small, round-shaped version of kroket made with beef or veal, which is a popular snack in bars throughout the Netherlands.

Kroket

Kuli-kuli is Benin's national dish, also popular in Nigeria and Ghana, providing nutrition, protein, and sustenance to the poor and often malnourished locals who have limited access to food. This simple meal consists of ground, smashed peanuts that are shaped into balls or biscuits which are deep-fried in their own oils. Prior to frying, the paste is mixed with salt, pepper, and some spices, if available. To put it simply, it is deep-fried peanut butter. The finished product doesn't look appetizing, but it tastes quite good, with golden brown fritters drained and served either hot or cold and eaten as a snack. Kuli-kuli can also be sprinkled over salads or accompanied by koko, fura, kamu, or with a blend of garri, sugar and water, called garri soakings.

Kuli-kuli

Japan

Breaded, skewered with a bamboo stick and deep-fried, the delectable bite-sized pieces of various fish and seafood, pork, chicken, beef, and even horse meat or fresh vegetables are collectively called kushiage, also kushikatsu, and originate from Osaka, a city aptly nicknamed the kitchen of Japan. Kushiage first appeared in the 1920s in Shinsekai, but today, these incredibly popular fried skewers can be enjoyed anywhere from numerous street food stands to kushiage-specialized restaurants that offer a truly unique Japanese dining experience. And while the street snack version of kushiage is simply served with a Worcestershire-like brown sauce which comes in a communal pot, the gourmet kushiage prepared at high-end Asian fusion restaurants is amazingly creative and sophisticated. It is often counterbalanced by small, refreshing side dishes, and comes served with a variety of dipping sauces and condiments, with each skewer pointing to the recommended dip for that variety of kushiage. These most commonly include the classic kushiage brown sauce, ponzu or soy sauce mixed with vinegar or citrus juice, ichimi or chili salt, sesame sauce, and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise made with apple cider or rice vinegar. Kushiage menus change according to what&rsquo;s in season, often featuring a countless assortment of varieties and combinations such as shrimps with shiso basil, crab claws, salmon and cheese, shiitake mushrooms, whole garlic cloves, rice cakes, okra, quail eggs, bacon-wrapped asparagus, lotus root, sea tangle with herring roe, monkfish liver, etc. Some places even offer the kushiage version of a popular Osaka soul food called okonomiyaki, which is a savory pancake-like omelet often referred to as the Japanese pizza. The variations are virtually endless and left for food lovers to discover both in Osaka and beyond.

Kushiage

Deep-fried kwek kwek is a type of tokneneng, the omnipresent Filippino street food. While tokneneng is made with boiled chicken or duck eggs, kwek kwek is the smaller sized variety, which usually employs tiny quail eggs. Both types are distinguished by the deep orange color, provided by an unusual batter in which eggs are coated before frying. The thick batter is made with flour, cornstarch, and water, with the addition of annatto powder, a unique ingredient which gives the dish its remarkable orange color. Hard-boiled quail eggs are thoroughly coated in batter, and fried until crispy. The essential condiment to kwek kwek is a spicy and sour sauce. It is usually prepared with vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, chilis, and occasionally ketchup, and it is always served on the side as a dipping sauce. Kwek kwek eggs are sold by numerous street vendors, who sell them alongside other delicious deep-fried Filipino snacks, such as fish or squid balls. These fried delicacies are best served freshly prepared, while they are still crispy and warm.

Kwek kwek

China

Chongqing chicken is a famous Sichuan dish consisting of chicken and chilis. The dish is usually made with chicken on the bone, which is then chopped into small pieces, marinated, and deep-fried. Traditionally, there is almost always more dried red chili peppers in the dish than chicken, nearly covering the meat underneath. The combination of ingredients is usually stir-fried with ginger and garlic. Chongqing chicken is consumed by picking out the pieces of chicken with chopsticks, often leaving out the remaining chili peppers in the bowl.

Laziji

Lechon kawali is the Filipino version of deep-fried pork belly. Primarily boiled in plain or seasoned water, the meat is rubbed with salt, cut into chunks, then deep-fried until it develops a golden-brown, crispy skin, but remains juicy and tender on the inside. It is one of the most famous Filipino dishes eaten throughout the country. Always served hot, lechon kawali is usually accompanied by spicy vinegar sauce or a traditional lechon liver sauce on the side.

Lechon kawali

Loh bak or ngo hiang is a dish that presumably originated among Teochew and Hokkien communities. It consists of various meat and vegetable fillings that are wrapped in bean curd skins before they are deep-fried until crispy. The main ingredient used in these rolls is pork, but the variations may include shrimps, chicken meat, or taro. The fillings are always seasoned with five-spice powder, whose Chinese name (ng&oacute;͘-hiong-h&uacute;n) gave the dish its name. Although their origin is probably in Southeast China, these crispy rolls have become a staple in many Asian countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Loh bak rolls are usually served with a dipping sauce on the side, and they are often accompanied by other deep-fried snacks. They are mainly sold and enjoyed as street food.

Loh bak

Lumpia is a simple and flavourful Filipino finger food that evolved from the Chinese spring rolls. Each lumpia consists of a rice or flour dough wrap that is stuffed with meat (most often ground pork or beef) and vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, onions, and garlic. It is then sealed with egg wash and fried. Once it has been prepared, its crusty, crunchy exterior and tender interior are perfectly complemented with the sweet and sour dipping sauce. It can be eaten as a snack or as a side dish, and it is almost impossible to see a Filipino feast without at least one variation of lumpia, such as unfried lumpia, lumpia with bean sprouts, hearts of coconut palm, bangus, or saba bananas (ripe plantains).

Lumpia

Lumpiang Shanghai is the most popular variety of lumpia, the crispy deep-fried Filipino snack that evolved from Chinese spring rolls. Even though lumpia appears in numerous variations, the Shanghai version is characterized by a savory filling which combines ground pork or beef with carrots, onions, various seasonings, and (occasionally) shrimps. Lumpiang Shanghai is usually sold at numerous street stalls throughout the country, but it is also a staple dish served on special and festive occasions. This delicious and crispy snack is usually served accompanied by sweet and sour dipping sauce.

Lumpiang Shanghai

India

Malai kofta is a traditional North Indian dish consisting of fried potato and paneer balls in a creamy sauce. The dish is commonly served at festivals, celebrations, and weddings due to its rich texture and flavors. A typical dish of Mughal cuisine, developed in Medieval India by the cooks of the Mughal Empire, it is essentially a vegetarian substitute for a meatball curry, malai meaning cream, and kofta meaning dumplings. The dish is often prepared in a unique wok called a kadai, hence the other name of the dish, kadai kofta. Some food historians believe that these deep-fried dumplings have incorporated the influences of Turkish and Persian food cultures within them. The best and most usual accompaniments to malai kofta include naan bread and rice, and the dish is commonly garnished with shredded paneer and chopped coriander.

Malai kofta

Masala vada or chana dal vada is a traditional fritter originating from Tamil Nadu. Although there are variations, this tea-time snack is usually made with a combination of chana dal, onions, ginger, curry leaves, fennel seeds, dried red hot peppers, vegetable oil, and salt. The chana dal, fennel seeds, and dried hot peppers are soaked in water for two hours, drained, and the mixture is processed into a coarse paste. The paste is mixed with onions, ginger, curry leaves, and some of the reserved chana dal. The mixture is seasoned with salt and formed into round patties. They are deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown, and then served with chutney.

Masala vada

Menchi katsu is a traditional dish and a type of katsu. This ground meat cutlet is made with a combination of ground beef, ground pork, onions, panko breadcrumbs, oil, eggs, milk, black pepper, and nutmeg. Once shaped, the patties are dredged in flour, beaten eggs, and panko breadcrumbs, then fried in hot oil until golden and crispy. The dish is usually served with white rice, miso soup, and the thick and tangy katsu sauce on the side. Menchi katsu originated in Tokyo and it dates back to the Meiji Era. Nowadays, some of the best menchi katsus can be found at butcher shops, where they use the freshest meat to form the cutlets.

Menchi katsu

Molotes are deep-fried, oval-shaped corn tortillas filled with various ingredients such as quesillo, mushrooms, and different types of meat. The dish is often topped with green or red salsa and sour cream. Molotes are mostly sold as street food in the late hours of the evening, satiating the appetites of numerous hungry customers.