Lolipop Chicken

 It's the week of Thanksgiving and I'm not going to write up a Thanksgiving recipe, since oddly enough, as much as I love to cook, I don't really participate in the expected day of enforced foodie focus. But this year, my son decided he wanted us to cook together so this weekend we took on a project of planning, prepping, and cooking something together for a fun father-son activity. I brainwashed him well and he loves to eat and cook also.

I let him choose the dish.

Ethan chose a Thai fried chicken dish.  Spicy, crisp, and juicy Thai lollipop chicken drumettes, a version of fried chicken I'd yet to try from a fabulous and complete book of fried chicken, aptly named, Fried Chicken, by Rebbeccca Lang.  Everything from southern buttermilk-based, to Brazilian, African, and the one we chose --> Thai street food style. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Anyway, Ethan chose Thai street food and I didn't even contemplate an argument as I'm always game for Thai, Vietnamese, or Cambodian style dishes. It definitely ticks all my boxes. Spicy, hot, crackly crisp, juicy with all the flavors of the region.

What's needed:

2 pounds of chicken drumettes. I go to a local butcher shop to get mine but even the 10lbs sack of wings pieces from Costco will work in a pinch.

For the Marinade:

2 inches of Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

5 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

2 tbsps soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

2 tbsps sesame oil

1 tbsp sweet chili sauce

1 tbsp hot chili sauce  (like Sriracha)

1 egg. beaten

3 tbsps cornstarch

3 tbsps all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp kosher salt

For a dip  (optional)

2 tbs sesame oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1.5 tsp sugar

Peanut oil for the fry

Cilantro.  Fresh chopped for garnish

The Ta-do

The fiddly part.  To make the drumettes into lollipops pull out a sharp paring knife, cut around the base of the drumstick through the skin and tendons to loosen, then push up the meat to the top (or flip it upside down and push which I found to be easier) so the meat is a big ball on the end with an inch or so of exposed bone.  <-- It's not as hard as it sounds, you'll get the knack after one or two done.

The simple beyond belief part:

1.  Put the chopped/sliced garlic and ginger in a food processor and finely chop it. 

2.  Put in the rest: sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, hot and sweet sauce, corn starch, flour, salt, and pulse just 2 maybe three times to combine. Don't over do it, you want it pretty thick.

3. Transfer your marinade to a bowl and add your chicken, thoroughly coating it by hand.  Cover tightly and pop it into the fridge for 2 to three hours.

Remove from the fridge an hour before cooking.

Heat up 2 to 3 inches of peanut oil in a large stock pot or other thick pot. Heat to 350 f and carefully put in your lollipops.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until they are a rich golden brown.

Place them on a rack to drain and cool the sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.

Serve with a few lime wedges for added zing.  Make the dipping sauce also if you wish. 

Heaven on Earth: