Another popular Taiwanese night market street food: Popcorn Chicken.
This popcorn chicken this coated in sweet potato flour (not wheat flour) which gives it a different texture and taste after deep frying. In Taiwan they oftentimes sell this at Bubble Tea shops as a quick snack to go along with the milk tea drinks. (Ah, I how I miss those days . . .)
These bite sized pieces are crispy and flavorful - and I just love the five spice powder in here. When making this at home, before serving, I like to add a dash of Japanese crushed red pepper to give it a bit of spiciness.
Tip: I've found that deep frying the chicken first before the basil produces the best taste. For some reason basil infused oil overpowers the chicken flavors. Best to keep them separate.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. chicken thighs
Fresh Thai basil leaves
Marinade:
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1/2 Tablespoon rice wine
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
Seasoning (to taste):
salt
white pepper
Ichimi Togarashi (crushed red pepper) http://amzn.to/1x8jlSK
