Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

Cuisine: Taiwanese

Difficulty level: Medium

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 inch piece of ginger

• 1 pound of chicken thigh

• 1 TBSP five-spice powder

• 1 TSP white pepper

• 2 TBSP sweet soy sauce

• 2 TSP sesame oil

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup sweet potato flour

• Vegetable oil for deep frying 

Instructions:

• Peel and grate 3 cloves of garlic

• Peel and grate 1 inch piece of ginger

• Cut chicken thigh into bite size pieces (~1 inch x 1 inch)

• To marinate, place chicken into a bowl and add:

  • 1 TBSP five-spice powder

  • 1 TSP white pepper

  • 2 TBSP sweet soy sauce

  • 2 TSP sesame oil

• Mix together and let it marinate in the fridge for at least half an hour

• To deep fry chicken:

  • Add 2 inches of vegetable oil into a pot

  • Prepare a bowl of 2 beaten eggs

  • Prepare a bowl full of 1 cup sweet potato starch

  • When oil is hot enough, dip each chicken piece in egg and then flour before placing into the oil

  • Deep fry for about 3 minutes or until golden brown

(Tip: to check if oil is hot enough, place a pinch of sweet potato flour into the oil and see if it bubbles)

• Deep fry a handful of Asian basil for 10 seconds and mix with the chicken.