Directions
Step 1
Brine the hen: In a big bowl, stir collectively the garlic, sugar, coriander, salt, soy sauce, MSG (if utilizing), white pepper, and a pair of quarts of water till the salt and sugar are dissolved. Rating every bit of hen one or two instances to the bone, then add to the brine, ensuring the hen is properly submerged. Cowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for five–24 hours.
Step 2
Fry the shallots: In a big bowl, toss collectively the shallots and salt. Switch to a small wok, add the palm oil, and warmth over medium-low till a deep-fry thermometer reads 250°F. Prepare dinner, stirring often, till the shallots are golden, aromatic, and toasted, 25–half-hour.
Step 3
In a fine-​mesh sieve set over a bowl, drain the shallots, permitting the oil to drip by way of. Set the oil apart and switch the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate. As soon as the shallots are cool and crisp, switch to an hermetic container and put aside.
Step 4
Make the dipping sauce: In a mortar and pestle or small meals processor, grind the chiles, garlic, and salt into a rough paste.Â
Step 5
To a small pot, add the sugar, vinegar, and ½ cup of water. Convey to a boil, then flip the warmth to low and simmer, stirring often, till the sugar has dissolved and the combination has lowered barely, about 5 minutes. Add the chile paste and simmer till the sauce has thickened barely and lowered by about half, 8–10 minutes.
Step 6
In a small bowl, whisk collectively the tapioca starch and 1 tablespoon of water. Stir into the sauce and simmer till it has thickened to a syrupy texture, 2–3 minutes. Modify the seasoning to style, then switch to an hermetic container and put aside. (If making the sauce upfront, retailer it within the fridge.)
Step 7
Put together the rice: To a fine-mesh sieve, add the rice and gently rinse beneath operating water, stirring together with your fingers, till the water runs clear. Switch to a bowl, cowl with about 2 inches of water, and soak for 4–24 hours.
Step 8
Prepare dinner the rice: Drain the rice, discarding the soaking water. Fill a big pot with 2–3 inches of water and convey to a boil. Line a fine-mesh sieve or bamboo steamer with cheesecloth, then add the rice to the sieve and set contained in the pot. Cowl with a lid that absolutely encloses the steamer, utilizing a kitchen towel if essential to create a good seal, and cook dinner till the rice is sticky and pliable, about 20 minutes. Utilizing a spatula, rigorously flip your entire mass of rice, then cowl and proceed cooking till the grains are tender and visibly caught collectively, about 5 minutes extra. Take away from the warmth, switch the rice to a big bowl or plate, and gently stir with a picket spoon for about 10 seconds to launch steam. Cowl and preserve heat.
Step 9
Fry the hen: Set a wire rack over a big baking sheet. Take away the hen from the brine, wiping away any garlic or coriander seeds, and pat dry with paper towels. Into a big skillet or wok fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, add the palm oil and the reserved shallot oil, then flip the warmth to excessive. When the temperature reads 350°F, working in batches, gently add the hen and fry, stirring often, till aromatic and cooked by way of with crispy, orange pores and skin, 8–12 minutes per batch, relying on the reduce. (If utilizing totally different cuts of hen, cook dinner items of the identical reduce collectively.) Including the hen will decrease the temperature of your oil, so regulate the warmth and oil amount as wanted to take care of a temperature between 335°F and 350°F. Utilizing tongs or a spider skimmer, switch the hen to the ready rack. Repeat with the remaining hen.
Step 10
Switch the fried hen to a platter and serve sizzling or at room temperature with the fried shallots, dipping sauce, and sticky rice.
