Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 600g boneless chicken thigh fillets, preferably skin-on, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • 1 cup sweet potato flour
  • 2 litres oil, for deep-frying
  • 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves
  • Spice salt
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • ¼ tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • A pinch chilli powder

Instruction

  • Combine the chicken with the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar and five spice powder and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
  • Coat the chicken pieces in the sweet potato flour and shake off any excess.
  • Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan. When the oil reaches 150°C scatter the basil leaves into the wok and stir for about 20 seconds, or until the basil turns translucent. Remove the basil from the wok and drain on absorbent paper.
  • Increase the heat of the oil to 170°C and fry the chicken in batches for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through, regularly skimming any floating flour bits from the oil.
  • For the spiced salt, mix the ingredients together and toast in a dry frypan over low–medium heat for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Toss the chicken with the fried basil leaves and season with a good pinch of the spice salt. Serve immediately.