Deep Fried Turmeric Chicken

I dislike using turmeric powder for this dish...I prefer to use  fresh turmeric as it has a stronger fragrant and the fresh orangey color make it more appetizing. Turmeric has a peppery, warm and bitter flavor and is best known as one of the ingredients used to make curry, it also gives ballpark mustard its bright yellow color.  Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and has a tough brown skin and a deep orange flesh. Turmeric is used as a powerful anti inflammatory in both Chinese and Indian system of medicine. Turmeric was traditionally called " Indian Saffron"  because of its deep yellow-orange color and has been used throughout history as a condiment , healing remedy and textile dye.  For this reason , I used them often in my cooking and even planted some in my small garden :) The leaves are used in rendang recipe .  I managed to harvest some for cooking this dish. This dish reminds me of my confinement period.  My grandma cooked this dish for me during my confinement :) Love this and last week, I could not help making this with Wild Boar's help.  He was annoyed with the yellow stain on his trotters  hand ...LOL!  I bet you he won't do this for me anymore unless I get him the disposal gloves to wear while he pound the turmeric for me :)

I used my grandma's recipe.   She added black pepper and shallots to the pounded turmeric.  A pinch of salt is added to the mixture and rubbed on the chicken pieces and leave to rest for either a day or at least 3 hours .  Before deep frying, I coat the marinated chicken pieces with potato flour and when the canola oil is hot , put in the chicken pieces ( in my case, I used chicken legs ) and fried till both sides are golden brown and cooked through.  Serve them while still warm...mmmmm yummy ! Crispy crust and the meat is tender and succulent and  packed with turmeric flavor !  

I managed to harvest some from the garden :)

pound them together with shallots, black pepper

and salt

deep fry with canola oil....make sure the oil is very hot

before putting in the coated chicken so that the 

chicken does not absorb in all the oil

Canola oil is cholesterol free and can take heat well

 place the chicken pieces on paper

towel to absorb the excess oil from the chicken 

potato flour is makes the skin crispy and stay crispy till you finish

the last piece !   

Deep Fried Turmeric Chicken Leg

Ingredients:

4 pieces of chicken legs

marinade

3 pieces of fresh turmeric

4 shallots 

2 tsp of black pepper seeds

2 tsp of salt or to taste

potato flour

canola oil for deep frying

Method:

Pound the above marinade ingredients coarsely and rub on the chicken leg and leave to marinade for at least 3 hours ( or overnight ) in the fridge.  take out 1/2 hour before deep frying,  coat them with potato flour.  Heat up canola oil till smoking in a wok , put in the coated chicken leg and deep fry on high heat for 5 mins after which lower the heat to medium heat.  Deep fry the chicken leg till both sides are golden brown and cook through.  Take out and place them on paper towel to drain off excess oil. 

Enjoy !

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