Thai Fried Chicken ~ Hat Yai Style

Ingredients:

1.5 lb chicken ~ skin-on

3-5 tbsp rice flour

Oil ~ for frying

Marinate

5 cloves garlic

8 cilantro stem

1/2 tsp white peppercorn

2-1/2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp Thai soy sauce

1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

1/2 cup water

Directions/Instructions:

1. Score the thickest part of the drumsticks on either side of the chicken (abt 1cm deep to help the marinade penetrate and help to cook faster.  As for thighs, trim off any hanging excess skin.
2. Pound white peppercorns until fine, then add garlic and cilantro stems.  Pound into a fine paste.  Then add sugar and swirl the pestle around to help further grind the herbs.
3. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and water; stir to mix.  Pour into a large zip-top bag or a mixing bowl.  Add the chicken, and mix well.  Let marinate for at least 4 hours preferably overnight.  Flip the chicken halfway through.
4. Remove the marinade chicken from the fridge for 30 mins.  Then add about 3/4 cup of the rice flour and mix until there are no more lumps.  Add more rice flour as needed to get a thin batter than thinly, but thoroughly coat the chicken.  If the batter has become too thick, add a little water at a time to thin it out.
5. Heat 2" of oil in a wok or a large pot to 190 deg C (375 deg F) on medium heat.  Once the oil is ready, add half of the chicken and allow the oil temp to drop to about 150 deg C (300 deg F) and from this point on, adjust the heat to maintain the temp at 150 deg C (300 deg F)
6. Fry the chicken, flipping them every 1-2 mins until dar meat reaches 79 deg C (175 deg F) internally temp.  Drums and thighs should take 10-12 mins and whole wings about 6-8 mins.