Fried chicken with leek sauce

Serves 4 as a starter

For the leek sauce

• 2 boneless chicken thighs
• 0.5 tbsp soy sauce
• 0.5 tbsp sake
• 0 Potato starch

• 100g soy sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 1 leek
• 0.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red chilli

Step 1
I remember her sitting on the kitchen floor with a pestle and mortar, grinding the seeds into a paste.

Step 2
Pierce the chicken all over with a fork so it will better absorb the seasoning.

Step 3
Mix the soy sauce with the sake, then pour this over the chicken, making sure it seeps well into the meat.

Step 4
Set aside while you prepare the leek sauce.

Step 5
To make the leek sauce, combine the soy, vinegar, sake and sugar in a bowl.

Step 6
In a pan, lightly fry the chopped leek in some heated oil, then pour in the soy sauce mixture and chopped red chilli and stir together until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 7
Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 8
Coat the chicken with the potato starch, then deep-fry in oil at 180C/350F.

Step 9
For crispier chicken, raise it out of the oil from time to time.

Step 10
When fried to a golden brown, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Step 11
Serve dressed with the leek sauce.