Some people like their fried chicken without breading; others prefer to enjoy it with a coating of flour, bread crumbs, corn meal or even crushed corn flakes, Southern style. “Southern,” of course, refers to the Southern states of the United States where chicken is traditionally seasoned, dipped in buttermilk then dredged in the coating mixture before deep frying.
If you like Southern-style fried chicken, here is a recipe that gives it a totally Asian twist by seasoning the chicken with spices indigenous to Asia. And, instead of buttermilk, coconut milk is substituted. The chicken is then fried in cooking oil flavored with coriander seeds, ginger and lemongrass.
Serves four.
Ingredients:
1 k. of chicken thighs and drumsticks
1-1/2 tbsps. of curry powder
1-1/2 tbsps. of salt
1 tbsp. of chili powder
1 tsp. of garlic powder
½ c. of coconut milk
½ c. of flour mixed with 2 tbsps. of yellow corn meal
a few stalks of lemongrass, bruised
1 tbsp. of coriander seeds
a thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
3 to 4 c. of vegetable oil for deep frying
Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add the curry powder, garlic powder, chili powder and salt. Mix well. Cover and keep overnight in the fridge.
Add the coconut milk to the chicken. Cover and let steep for an hour.
Meanwhile start cooking your rice.
Pour the cooking oil into the frying pan (a wok works best). Turn on the heat. Add the ginger, lemongrass and coriander. Cook over low heat for about five minutes to flavor the oil (the aroma at this point will already whet your appetite and that’s just cooking oil you’re smelling!). Scoop out the ginger, coriander seeds and lemongrass and turn up the heat to medium high.
Drain the chicken. Your rice should be nearly done at this point. Pour the marinade over the rice and continue cooking until done. Trust me, the rice will be delicious.
Dredge the chicken in the flour-cornmeal mixture; shake off the excess. Fry the chicken in two batches, about five minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
While the chicken cooks, make the salad.
Garden-fresh salad:
1 cucumber, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
4 tomatoes, cut into half-inch cubes
1 finger chili, sliced thinly
12 to 15 onion leaves, cut into half-inch lengths
1 small onion, roughly chopped
juice of half a lemon (I used native lemon, the one with the green peel)
½ tsp. of patis (fish sauce)
1 tbsp. of sugar
cilantro leaves, for garnish
Place all the salad ingredients, except the cilantro, in a bowl. Toss gently using your fingers. Sprinkle the cilantro on top before serving.
