Mala chicken
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 2
This Sichuan-style chicken is not for the faint-hearted. With plenty of Sichuan peppercorns and a big handful of dried chillies, it will have your tongue tingling.
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
For the chicken
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless and skin removed, chopped into bitesize chunks
- oil, for deep frying and frying
- large handful dried chillies, seeds removed, chopped and soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
- 2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, left whole
- 6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4cm/2in fresh root ginger, cut into rounds
- 6 spring onions, white parts and green parts separated and chopped
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- pinch salt
Method
To make the chicken mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl and cover. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
Pre-heat a deep fat fryer to 180C.
Deep fry the chicken (or deep fry in a wok over a high heat) for just 1 minute then carefully transfer to kitchen paper to drain. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok (if the wok was used for the chicken, wipe it clean and add more oil).
Fry the chillies until darkened, then add the Sichuan, garlic, ginger and the white part of the spring onions. Fry for 1–2 minutes.
Add the chicken to the pan along with the sugar and sesame seeds. Season with salt and cook for a further 1–2 minutes.
Check the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve garnished with the green tops of the spring onions.
