DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN WITH GARLIC & PEPPERCORNS

SERVES 4, OR 8 AS PART OF A SHARED ASIAN BANQUET

I love this chicken recipe – a great addition to any banquet alongside a curry, steamed rice and a great vegetable dish.

350 g (12 oz) skinless chicken thigh fillets (organic, if possible), cut into strips about 2 cm (¾ inch) thick

1 tablespoon fish sauce

pinch of sugar

2 coriander (cilantro) roots, scraped and chopped

pinch of sea salt

½ teaspoon white peppercorns

1 garlic bulb, cloves separated

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying

60 g (2¼ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

freshly ground white pepper, to serve

coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve

chilli sauce, to serve

Marinate the chicken strips in the fish sauce and sugar for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pound the coriander roots, salt and peppercorns in a mortar with a pestle. Add the garlic cloves and pound to a coarse paste, removing the garlic skin and hard base as you go.

Heat the oil in a wok or deep-fryer until smoking (180°C/350°F), then toss half the chicken in the flour until well coated. Shake off any excess. Deep-fry the chicken in batches, stirring regularly, for 3–4 minutes or until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken pieces and drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Scoop out any debris from the oil and add the garlic mixture (be careful – it will spit). Move the garlic around in the oil until it is golden, then remove and drain on paper towel.

Place the fried chicken on a serving plate, sprinkle with the crisp garlic, white pepper and coriander leaves. Serve with your favourite chilli sauce.

NOTE: The chicken could instead be prawns or pieces of squid, or even firm white fish or pre-braised strips of pork belly – delicious with a Thai-style sauce such as nam jim.