Taiwanese fried chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, trimmed
• 80 ml (⅓) cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp five-spice powder
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 160 g (1 cup) sweet potato (camote) flour (see Note)

Spiced seasoning

• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder

Marinating time 30 minutes

Instructions

1. To make the spiced seasoning, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.

2. Using a sharp knife, slice through chicken lengthwise, being sure not to cut all the way through, and open up to butterfly. Lightly pound chicken to 1.5cm thick. Place chicken pieces in a large bowl with soy sauce, rice vinegar, chilli powder, sugar, five-spice and ½ tsp pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Fill a large saucepan or deep-fryer one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat until it reaches 180ºC (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds).

4. Place flour, eggs and sweet potato flour in separate shallow bowls. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Dust chicken in plain flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg and press in sweet potato flour to coat. Working in batches, cook chicken, turning halfway, for 6 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

5. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel and serve sprinkled with the spiced seasoning.

Note

• Sweet potato (camote) flour is from speciality food shops.

Photography by Brett Stevens. Food preparation by Phoebe Wood. Styling by Vivien Walsh.