Hot Fish Sauce Caramel Fried Chicken

I’ve been seeing hot honey fried chicken everywhere, and with good reason. The sweetness of the honey perfectly contrasts the saltiness of the chicken, and the spice creates some added excitement. Let me introduce you to hot honey’s sexier, more umami cousin: hot fish sauce caramel. While it still has the sweetness and spice, there’s so much more complexity since the sugars are caramelized. The umami of the fish sauce and soy sauce along with the aromatics like garlic, ginger, and scallion enhance and elevate the dish even more.

Recipe

Serves 1-2

Hot Fish Sauce Caramel

• 1 c water
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1/4 fish sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 scallions
• 2-inch knob ginger
• 1/4 c dried chili of choice
• Juice of 1/2 lime

1. Thinly slice garlic and ginger. For the scallion, cut into thirds, then slice each third into halves.
2. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion to a medium saucepan along with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cook over medium heat for about an hour. DO NOT STIR. When finished, let cool down–it’ll thicken as it cools.

Fried Chicken

• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 quarts water
• 2 quarts ice
• 3/4 c kosher salt
• 2/3 c sugar
• 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 2 eggs
• 4 1/4 c all purpose flour, divided
• 1 c cornstarch
• For flour dredge, 1 tbsp each: white pepper, salt, black pepper, cayenne, smoked paprika, garam masala, Chinese 5 spice, coriander

1. In a pot, add water, kosher salt, sugar, black peppercorns, garlic, lemon, and parsley. Heat over medium until salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Add ice to cool down. Place chicken into liquid and let brine for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Once ready to fry, set up your dredging station: in one bowl, add 1 cup all purpose flour; in another, beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup flour and 2 tbsp water; in the last bowl add 3 cups flour, 1 cup corn starch, and specified seasonings, mixing to evenly combine.
3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Lightly coat in plain flour, dusting off the excess, followed by the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then coat in seasoned flour. Let sit on a baking rack for at least 15 minutes, then optionally dip again into seasoned flour.
4. Fry chicken in batches 325ºF oil, remove and rest for 10 minutes. Fry again in 375ºF oil for another 3 minutes, remove, and let rest a few minutes before eating.