Crispy fried chicken bowl with spring onion & ginger oil

Ingredients

For 4 servings

• •100 g spring onions very finely sliced
• •20 g ginger finely chopped
• •1 c. à soupe Szechuan peppercorns crushed in a pestle and mortar
• •2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• •0.5 c. à café MSG (optional)
• •0.5 c. à café caster sugar
• •125 ml vegetable oil plus 4 tbsp
• •2 chicken breasts sliced through the middle, then pounded flat
• •6 c. à soupe plain flour
• •3 c. à soupe cornflour
• •1 c. à café shichimi togarashi Japanese spice blend (optional)
• •sticky rice and green veg or smacked cucumbers, to serve

Method

1. 1.Start by making the spring onion oil. Put the spring onions, ginger, Szechuan peppercorns, garlic, MSG (if using), caster sugar and a good pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour the vegetable oil into a small saucepan over a medium heat, ensuring that the pan is no more than a third full.
2. 2.Once the oil is shimmering hot, quickly pour it onto the spring onion mixture. It will sizzle so do this carefully. Stir to combine and set aside. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for five days – the flavour will improve over time.
3. 3.Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Tip 5 tbsp of the flour and all the cornflour into a shallow bowl with the shichimi togarashi, if using, and a pinch of salt. Whisk in 7-8 tbsp of water to make a thick batter. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining flour, then use tongs to dip the chicken in the batter.
4. 4.Meanwhile, heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Gently lower in the chicken and fry on each side for 6-7 mins until very golden and crisp. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little more shichimi togarashi, if you like.
5. 5.To serve, arrange the bowl with the fried chicken, some rice, greens or smacked cucumbers, and a drizzle of the spring onion oil.