Green peppercorn chicken

Ingredients

• 350 g chicken thigh fillets, thinly sliced
• 250 ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
• 3 cups picked basil leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ cup green peppercorns in brine (available in jars from Asian grocers), drained
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed into ¼ cup cold water
• steamed rice, to serve

Marinade

• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp cornflour

Instructions

1. For the marinade, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine well. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok to around 180˚C and fry the basil leaves until crisp. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Fry the chicken in the oil until opaque and remove from the wok.
3. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok and fry the garlic just until changing colour. Return the chicken to the wok and add the sauces, Shaoxing wine and sugar. You can also add a little water if needed. Add the peppercorns and toss to combine. Add in a little of the cornflour mixture to thicken the sauce.
4. Serve the chicken scattered with the fried basil leaves, with steamed rice on the side.

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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