Fried chicken is one of the most common kinds of fast food, and most have eaten it. I bet most people haven’t tried to make fried chicken at home. This is a basic guide on how to make a simple fried chicken recipe, with extra bonus steps at the end if you want to make some extra Thai (Hat Yai) condiments. Credit to https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/hat-yai-fried-chicken/ for the original recipe.
Why am I writing about this?
One thing that I have noticed throughout my life is that many people care far less about food than I do. I have seen many people just eat whatever and don’t really care to try something else, or try cooking. Personally, I have always loved food and I occasionally cook, so I wanted to share my experience with more people. Hat Yai fried chicken originated in southern Thailand, and has spread across the country. It would be a bit too basic to do plain fried chicken, so I chose this instead. Also, I am Thai, so it just felt right to show a version of fried chicken that many people have never seen before. Fried chicken is pretty simple to understand, but more difficult to actually make, so I think this recipe should work well for beginners and also more seasoned chefs. Anyway, here is the recipe.
You will need:
1 Bone in Chicken (you can use wings, thighs, drumsticks, or breast, but that is more difficult )
1 Bottle of Oil
White Peppercorns (Black pepper also works)
1 clove of garlic
3-5 Cilantro stems
1 cup of Sugar
1 Bottle of Soy sauce
1 Bottle of Fish sauce (Squid brand fish sauce is the best)
1 Large bowl of Water
1 Large bowl of Rice Flour
Recipe:
“Pound peppercorns, garlic and cilantro stems until fine.
Add sugar and swirl with the pestle to dissolve the sugar and grind the herbs further.
Add soy sauce and fish sauce.
Add the water and mix.
For drumsticks, make two incision into the thickest part of the meat, one on each side of the leg.
For thighs, make two incisions on either side of the bone.
Pour the marinade onto the chicken and mix well.
Allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, (preferably overnight), flipping halfway though. Bring the chicken out at least 30 minutes before frying.
Add rice flour to the chicken (still in the marinade) until you have a thin batter that thoroughly but lightly coats the chicken.
In a wok or a large heavy-bottomed pot heat about 2 inches of oil to 375°F (190°C) and add as many pieces of chicken as will fit without crowding.
Let the temperature drop to about 300°F ( 150°C) and adjust the heat to maintain it there. Flip the chicken regularly until well browned, and remove them when the internal temperature reaches 175°F (79°C) for dark meat and wings, and 155°F (68°C) for breast.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before eating!” (Hot Thai Kitchen)
Optional:
Add some cumin/coriander to the marinade for a punch of flavor.
How to make fried shallots.
“Salt the shallots lightly and toss to mix. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the water.
Spread the shallots out onto paper towel, and press another piece on top to dry them.
Fry on low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and the bubbling has mostly subsided.
Scoop them out and drain on paper towel.” (Hot Thai Kitchen)
Add some white rice!
In a rice cooker pot, put as much rice as you want, then pour in some cold water and rinse the pot by shaking the rice inside and moving it around while in the pot. When the water is near the top, and the water looks white, carefully pour out all of the water. Then, repeat the process, until the water is nearly clear. After that, look for rocks or little pebbles in the rice and take them out. Place your finger in the pot, and pour in water until the water is at your finger line. Finally, put the pot in the rice cooker and turn it on. When it is done, give it a minute before opening the pot to eat your rice.
In conclusion, this recipe is a nice start to try cooking for the first time, and I hope you will give it a chance.
Oliver Stutt – Putney School – DMSF Class of 2029
Photo Credit: PooX2 – Pixabay