This week our food journey takes us all the way to Singapore for some deliciously crispy Ha Cheong Kai, also known as prawn paste chicken.

Singapore is located in maritime southeast Asia and is one of only three surviving city states in the world; the other two are Monaco and Vatican City. It is among the 20 smallest countries in the world and, in addition to the main island, includes 63 islands. Most of these are actually uninhabited.

Ha Cheong Kai – Prawn Paste Chicken

Ha Cheong Kai, a variation of fried chicken, is one of the most popular dishes in Singapore. This recipe has been shared by Dustin Lau, Bébé Voyage’s very own Singapore-based ambassador.

Ingredients 

2 large, boneless chicken thighs cut into bite sizes, fat and tendons removed, skin on

65g corn flour

Vegetable oil for frying, enough to cover your chicken pieces depending on the size of your cooking pot

Marinade 

1 tbsp prawn paste

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp Shaoxing wine

Method

• In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients until a paste is formed. Marinate the chicken with the sauce for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
• Just before deep frying, roll the chicken pieces in corn flour to form an even, white coat. 
• First fry: Heat vegetable oil in a pan on high – when bubbles begin to form, your oil is ready. 
• Gently place marinated chicken into the oil piece by piece, being careful not to crowd the pan so that each piece has enough space to float in. 
• Turn the heat down to medium or medium high to cook the chicken. It will take about 5 minutes in total to cook each piece through. Turn the chicken pieces over half way through for an even, golden finish. 
• Set the pieces aside and drain them on pieces of kitchen towel to remove the oil. You can leave them under your cooker hood for the dry heat. 
• Second fry: Heat oil in a pan until bubbling and place the pre-fried chicken in. Allow the chicken to crisp well. Observe appropriate social distancing for the chicken pieces. 
• Drain excess oil on paper towels before serving. Give the chicken about 3-5 minutes to rest and get crispy after frying.

Little Fingers Can:

Children of all ages can help marinate the chicken and coat it in flour.

Because of the double deep frying at high temperatures, we do not recommend having children cook the dish.

Did you try our prawn paste chicken recipe? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!

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Da Pan Ji, Big Plate Chicken From China! Recipes From Around The World

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