Chicken cartilage (nankotsu)

Cartilage de volaille (nankotsu)

What it is

The breastbone cartilage is called yagen nankotsu after the yagen, the boat-shaped rocking mortar apothecaries once used to grind herbs — the resemblance is exact. Knee cartilage is a different cut, rounder and softer; a bird gives one keel and two knees, which is why it is sold by the bag.

In the kitchen

Pat it bone-dry and fry at 180 °C for three minutes — any surface water steams the piece soft instead of shattering it. Salt, pepper and lemon; there is nothing here to sauce, only a texture.

Goes with

Salt White pepper Lemon Shichimi togarashi Toasted sesame oil Garlic Yuzu kosho Spring onion

Same species

Egg white powder (albumin) Chicken tail (bonjiri) Bresse chicken Capon Chicken Rooster

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