Spicy fried-chicken sandwich with quick-pickled carrots

This took me about an hour to make and eat, but I had chicken marinating in the fridge. It was very tasty!





Step 1: Marinate chicken for 30 mins — 2 days. Cut into bite sized pieces OR pound with a mallet until thinner
— chicken thigh, 1 per sandwich
Add, per thigh:
— splash light soy sauce 
— splash rice wine (optional)
— sprinkle kosher salt
— pepper
— garlic, 1 clove, pressed or minced. 
Mix well and set aside.

Step 2: Pickle carrots. Grate
— carrots, 1 small per sandwich
Add to carrots, to taste
— minced green chillies
— salt
— vinegar (wine or cider)
— sugar
Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Step 3: Prepare chili mayo: Mix
-- Mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons per sandwich
-- Garlic, pressed or minced, 1 small clove per sandwich
-- Red chili powder, to taste

Step 4: Dry romaine lettuce, 4-5 leaves per sandwich. Use inner leaves with more crunchy "rib" and less floppy green bits. Trim top and bottom of each leaf. 

Step 5: Fry chicken once. Heat in a wok or similar, 
— neutral oil
Test with a sprinkle of flour, which should sizzle when the oil is ready, but not turn dark very quickly. In the meantime, coat chicken with a mixture of
— All purpose flour
— cornstarch OR potato starch OR sweet potato starch OR tapioca starch.
NOTE: I think all purpose flour not necessary, but it's essential to have at cornstarch or equivalent to get the chicken crispy. The marinated chicken ought to be just wet enough for starches to adhere, but not have any excess liquid. 
Fry chicken on medium heat, there should be an active sizzle the whole time. Remove into colander when light golden. Do not discard oil; there will be a second fry. 

Step 6: Second fry + make toast: Allow chicken to cool for 10 minutes, then heat oil for the second time. Simultaneously
— fry chicken until darker golden
— toast bread (in broiler if making more than one sandwich)
Once chicken is out of fryer, sprinkle with salt and chili powder

Step 7: Assemble sandwich; in order from the bottom:
— One slice toast, spread top/inside with chili-mayo
— Quick pickled carrot, no excess liquid
— fried chicken
— 4-5 leaves lettuce
—  One slice toast, spread bottom/inside with chili-mayo




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