Sichuan Chili Chicken

Pat the chicken dry without rinsing, then cut into about 2 cm cubes. Mix with 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp light soy sauce and ¼ tsp salt; add 1 tbsp cornstarch and coat thinly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes while doing Step 2. Avoid pooled liquid in the bowl.

Cut 20 g dried chilies into 2–3 cm lengths and shake out most loose seeds. Pick over 1 tsp red Sichuan peppercorns, discarding black seeds and hard stems. Keep the 5 ginger slices thin, slice 5 garlic cloves, and cut 2 spring onions into about 1 cm lengths, separating whites from greens. Keep everything dry; set out ½ tsp sugar and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.

Add 500 ml oil to the same wok; use a size giving about 2 cm depth, with oil below half the pan height. Heat to about 170°C. Fry the chicken in 2 batches for roughly 4–6 minutes each. Let the thin outer coating set before separating and turning; do not crowd the pan. Fry until pale golden and the largest piece reaches 75°C for 30 seconds. Timing is a guide; continue until that temperature is reached. Drain on a clean rack or strainer, away from raw-meat containers.

Let the first-fried chicken drain and rest for about 2 minutes. Raise the oil to about 190°C and fry again in batches for roughly 20–30 seconds, removing when golden and dry on the surface, before it turns dark brown. Drain well. Remove the wok from the heat. Once the remaining oil has cooled enough to handle safely but is still fluid, pour it into a heatproof container, leaving 15 ml in the same wok.

Return the wok with its 15 ml oil to low heat. Fry the peppercorns for about 15–20 seconds until fragrant, then add ginger, garlic and all spring onion whites for about 20–30 seconds. Add all dried chilies and stir gently for about 20–40 seconds, until glossy red and fragrant. Move to Step 6 as they turn deeper red. If they smoke or rapidly blacken, remove the pan from the heat and discard burnt pieces before continuing.

Add all fried chicken and ½ tsp sugar. Raise to medium heat and toss for about 20–30 seconds. Add all spring onion greens and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, toss for about 10 seconds, then turn off the heat and plate immediately. The dish should be dry and fragrant with a light oil sheen, without pooled sauce. Avoid prolonged frying that dries the chicken or burns the chilies.