Name: Sunda’s buttermilk fried chicken with waffles
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 1.5 kg chicken wingettes; 500 gm (3⅓ cups) chickpea flour (besan), for coating; Vegetable oil, for deep-frying; Fennel and herb salad and lime wedges,to serve; Crushed fried shallots, fried garlic and finely chopped dried red chilli, to serve; Batter; 600 ml buttermilk; 200 gm mild curry paste (see recipe in [Sunda's crisp rice salad](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/chefs-recipes/nam-khao-recipe-17482|target="_blank")); 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (see note); 1 tbsp shichimi togarashi (see note); 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp ground coriander seeds; Palm-sugar glaze; 1 red shallot, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; ¼ long red chilli, finely chopped; 2 tsp vegetable oil; 80 gm grated dark palm sugar; 2 tbsp Fu Chi bean sauce (see note); 2 tbsp tamarind purée (see note); 3 tsp kecap manis; Buttermilk waffles; 250 gm low-gluten wheat flour (see note); 1 tbsp cornflour; 1 tbsp baking powder

Sunda’s buttermilk fried chicken with waffles

Fried chicken and waffles – it's a combo that just works, and is rendered here with Southeast Asian flavours courtesy of chef Khanh Nguyen.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

45M

Cook

45M

Total

1H 30M

“This is a Sunda kitchen favourite,” says Khanh Nguyen. “I use wingettes which have a good ratio of meat to skin, and stay juicy.” Start this recipe a day ahead to marinate the chicken.

Ingredients

1.5 kg chicken wingettes

500 gm (3⅓ cups) chickpea flour (besan), for coating

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Fennel and herb salad and lime wedges,to serve

Crushed fried shallots, fried garlic and finely chopped dried red chilli, to serve

Batter

600 ml buttermilk

200 gm mild curry paste (see recipe in [Sunda's crisp rice salad](https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/chefs-recipes/nam-khao-recipe-17482|target="_blank"))

1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (see note)

1 tbsp shichimi togarashi (see note)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

Palm-sugar glaze

1 red shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ long red chilli, finely chopped

2 tsp vegetable oil

80 gm grated dark palm sugar

2 tbsp Fu Chi bean sauce (see note)

2 tbsp tamarind purée (see note)

3 tsp kecap manis

Buttermilk waffles

250 gm low-gluten wheat flour (see note)

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp baking powder

60 ml condensed milk

2 eggs

350 ml buttermilk

80 gm unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

Method

1.For batter, whisk ingredients and 2 tbsp salt in a bowl until well combined.

2.Add chicken to batter and mix with your hands until chicken is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate (overnight).

3.For palm-sugar glaze, stir shallot, garlic, chilli and oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until caramelised (6-8 minutes). Add remaining ingredients, ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp water and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until a thick sticky glaze (2-3 minutes).

4.For waffles, combine dry ingredients and 1 tsp fine salt in a bowl and mix well. Combine wet ingredients separately and whisk to combine. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture and leave for 30 minutes. Heat a waffle iron and grease with butter. Strain batter, then add a heaped 1/4-cupful of batter to a waffle iron (exact amounts will vary; refer to manufacturer’s instructions), and cook until golden (2-4 minutes). Keep warm, and repeat with remaining batter (makes about 8 waffles).

5.Remove chicken from marinade, roll each wing in chickpea flour, then transfer to a tray and leave for 10 minutes.

6.Preheat oil in a deep saucepan to 160°C. Deep-fry wings in batches until golden brown and crisp (4-5 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit), then drain on paper towels.

7.Top waffles with wings, drizzle over glaze, and serve with fennel salad, lime wedges and shallot mixture on the side.

Nutritional yeast is available from health food shops and select supermarkets. Shichimi togarashi, a Japanese chilli blend, Fu Chi bean sauce and low-gluten wheat flour are available from Asian supermarkets.

Method To make tamarind purée, mix 40gm tamarind pulp with 40ml boiling water and stand until softened, then pass through a sieve, pressing firmly.

Wine suggestion 2017 Good Intentions Wine Co Floppy Giggle Day. Wine suggestion by Brad Hammond.
Notes