Loudogg’s twice-cooked crisp-skinned chicken recipe, Louis Tikaram, EP & LP, Los Angeles (2024)

• 2.5 litres (10 cups) chicken stock
• 125 ml (½ cup) light soy sauce
• 40 gm ginger, coarsely chopped
• 6 spring onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 tsp coarsely crushed white peppercorns
• 1 chicken (about 1.6kg)
• 2 litres canola oil, for deep-frying
• To serve: lemon wedges

• 160 ml (2/3 cup) canola oil
• 30 gm (2/3 cup) long dried red chillies, seeds discarded
• 10 gm ginger, cut into julienne, plus extra to serve
• 25 gm (1/3 cup) fried shallots
• 25 gm (¼ cup) fried garlic
• 1½ tsp white sugar
• 65 ml Chinese black vinegar
• 70 ml light soy sauce
• To serve: thinly sliced spring onion

Main

• 1

  Bring stock, soy sauce, ginger, spring onion and peppercorns to the boil in a deep saucepan slightly larger than the chicken in diameter over medium-high heat. Submerge chicken completely, breast-side up, bring back to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove chicken with long tongs, drain well over saucepan, place on a plate breast-side up and stand for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until required. Cover with plastic wrap once cooled.

• 2

  For chilli-vinegar dipping sauce, heat oil in a wok or deep frying pan to 160C. Flash-fry chillies, stirring continuously with a slotted spoon, until crisp and bright red (20 seconds). Remove with
  a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Stir-fry ginger until crisp and beginning to turn golden brown (40 seconds; stir frequently so ginger doesn’t stick together). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Strain oil into a saucepan or metal container and set aside to cool. Pound fried chillies and ginger, shallots, garlic and sugar with a large mortar and pestle until smooth (3-4 minutes). Add vinegar, soy sauce and 60ml reserved oil, and pound until combined and a thick paste forms (1-2 minutes). Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until required. Makes about 250ml. Will keep refrigerated for up to a week.

• 3

  Bring chicken to room temperature and heat oil to 220C in a wok or large saucepan (if you have an electric deep-fryer, even better). Cut the chicken in half down the backbone with a large knife or cleaver, then carefully lower one half into the oil with tongs (be careful, hot oil will spit). Deep-fry, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown (8-10 minutes), then drain on paper towels. Bring oil back to 220C and repeat with remaining chicken, then season to taste. Cut wings and legs off with a cleaver, cut each leg in two through the joint and each breast into three pieces through the bone. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot with lemon wedges and chilli-vinegar dipping sauce scattered with julienne ginger and spring onion.