Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken

• 300 g chicken thighs skin on and deboned
• 200g cornflour
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

The Marinade

• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 1 tsp white pepper

The Seasoning (spice mix)

• 1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorn
• 1/2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• A handful of Thai basil leaves (optional)

• Cut the meat into 2cm cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and, using your hands, massage the pieces until they are evenly coated, refrigerate for an hour or overnight if you prefer.

• Pour spices straight into a pestle and mortar, and pound until finely ground.

• Half-fill a large pot, wok or deep-fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 180°C (350°F), or until the tip of a wooden chopstick or skewer starts to fizz after a second or so in the oil. In small batches, coat the chicken pieces with the cornflour and deep-fry until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Remove the pieces carefully with a slotted spoon and drain well on a plate covered with kitchen paper.

• Once you finish frying all the chicken, it's time for the second fry. Fry the pieces for an extra couple of minutes to achieve that super crisp finish.

• Fry the basil leaves for a minute, dry and set aside. Tossed the fried chicken in the seasoning and the fried basil leaves.

• Serve