Serves 4
½ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp caster sugar
5cm piece ginger, sliced
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 litre chicken stock
1 (1.8kg) whole chicken, cut into 6 portions
2 cups plain flour
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 litre vegetable oil, for deep frying
Kimchi Poutine
800g Dutch cream or other waxy potatoes, peeled, sliced into chips
2 tbsp olive oil
10g unsalted butter
1 tbsp plain flour
⅔ cup chicken stock
2 tsp soy sauce
⅓ cup roughly chopped kimchi
⅓ cup finely grated havarti cheese
Place soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic and stock in a heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil.
Add chicken pieces, cover. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove from heat; allow to cool completely in liquid.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Meanwhile, to make the kimchi poutine, toss potatoes with oil on a large baking tray. Season with salt and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until changes colour.
To make a gravy, gradually add chicken stock and soy sauce, whisking until smooth. Set aside and keep warm. Sprinkle chips with kimchi and cheese and return to the oven for 4-5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Meanwhile, combine flour and sesame seeds in a bowl. Season. Combine egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a separate bowl.
Dip chicken pieces into the flour mixture, then into the egg mixture and back into the flour mixture.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat until it reaches 180°C on a cooking thermometer. Cook chicken in batches for 8 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper towels. Pour gravy over the poutine; serve with the chicken.
Tip: If you can’t find kimchi, sauerkraut would be a great substitute. It still has that great sour fermented flavour.
