Destination
Krabi
The story
Gai thod is Thailand's fried chicken and one of the country's most-loved street foods: bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, wings) marinated in a paste of garlic, coriander root, white pepper, fish sauce and palm sugar, coated in a light dredge of rice flour and cornstarch, and fried in shallow oil until deep golden with a shatter-crisp coating. Sold at every Thai market and street cart, often paired with sticky rice, som tum, or a small dish of Sriracha for dipping. The classical southern-Thai Hat Yai style adds a scatter of fried shallots and fried garlic on top and is one of the country's most-photographed fried chickens. Sabai Jai in Bangkok and Hat Yai Chicken Rice are two legendary Thai fried chicken addresses.
Method
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Rub thoroughly all over the chicken pieces. Marinate in the fridge 4 to 24 hours.
Whisk all dredge ingredients in a wide bowl.
In a small pan with 3 tbsp of the frying oil, fry the sliced shallots 4 minutes until deep gold. Drain on paper. Repeat with sliced garlic (2 minutes — burns faster). Reserve for topping.
Warm the remaining oil in a deep heavy pot to 175C.
Lift each chicken piece from the marinade (do not wipe — some marinade should remain). Roll in the seasoned rice flour, pressing to coat in a thick layer. Do not shake off excess.
Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden and cooked through (internal temperature 75C).
Lift onto a wire rack. Season with a pinch of salt while glistening.
Top with the fried shallots, fried garlic and fried curry leaves (if using). Serve immediately with sticky rice, som tum, Sriracha and lime wedges.
Tips
- Rice flour + cornstarch, not wheat flour. Thai fried chicken has a specific light-glassy crust that wheat flour can't produce. Any Asian grocer sells rice flour.
- Overnight marinade. Four hours is minimum; overnight is markedly better.
- Coriander root. Available fresh at Thai grocers or frozen — the whole root end, not just the leaves. Substitute stems plus a pinch of ground coriander seed if unavailable.
- 175C oil. A thermometer is worth using. Cooler and the coating absorbs oil; hotter and it burns before the chicken is cooked.
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