Irish Spice Bag

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Irish Spice Bag

Ingredient Notes

Kashmiri chilli powder:

Kashmiri chilli is much milder than standard chilli powder and is used here for its deep red colour rather than heat. It contributes warmth and a vivid appearance to the spice mix without making the dish aggressively spicy. You can find it at Asian or Indian grocery stores.

Rice flour:

Blending rice flour with plain flour for the chicken dredge produces a lighter, crispier crust than plain flour alone. Rice flour has less gluten, so it creates a more delicate coating that holds its texture even after being tossed in the wok with the vegetables and chips.

Shaoxing cooking wine:

A fermented Chinese rice wine used in the marinade to add depth and a subtle savoury sweetness to the chicken before frying. If you can’t find it, dry sherry is the closest substitute.

MSG:

You can leave this out if you have allergies or prefer not to use it.

Ingredients

1 batch Chips (French Fries)
8 chicken tenders
peanut oil, for deep frying
100g plain flour
100g rice flour
sea salt, to season
1 red capsicum (bell pepper)
1 brown onion
2 spring onions
3 cloves garlic

MARINADE

1 egg
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tsp Maggi seasoning
sea salt and ground white pepper, to season
pinch MSG

SPICE MIX

2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tsp Chinese 5 spice
½ tsp MSG
½ tsp ground white pepper

CURRY SAUCE

50g butter
50g flour
1 tbsp curry powder
400ml chicken stock

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large saucepan (for deep frying)
Thermometer
Large mixing bowl (for marinating)
Large mixing bowl (for flour dredge)
Wire rack
Wok
Medium saucepan (for curry sauce)
Whisk
Tongs
Slotted spoon

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Directions

MAKE THE CHIPS

Cook chips as per the linked recipe and do the final fry just before frying the chicken tenders.

MARINATE THE CHICKEN

In a large bowl whisk the egg, Shaoxing, Maggi seasoning, salt, pepper and MSG.
Add the chicken tenders and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.

PREP THE SPICE MIX

Combine the salt, sugar, garlic powder, chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli, Chinese 5 spice, MSG and white pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside.

MAKE THE CURRY SAUCE

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to foam, add the flour, stirring to mix well. Whisk in the curry powder and season with some salt. Cook for 2 minutes, until aromatic.
Gradually add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, whisking continuously. Set aside and keep warm.

COOK THE CHICKEN AND FINISH

Heat enough oil in a large saucepan to deep fry the chicken and place over medium-high heat until 180°C (355°F).
Combine the plain flour and rice flour in a large bowl, season with salt and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and toss until each piece is well coated. Add them back into the marinade to coat, then again into the flour mixture for a double dredge.
Slice the capsicum and onion thinly, then slice the white part of the spring onion into 1cm chunks and the green part thinly. Chop the garlic and set aside.
Deep fry the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack over a tray.
Heat a little oil in a wok over high heat. Add the capsicum and onion, toss for 1 minute. Stir in the white part of the spring onions and the garlic. Season with some salt and cook, tossing, for a further 1-2 minutes.
Season the vegetables with half of the spice mix, then add the chicken and chips to the wok. Toss to combine, then season with more of the spice mix and add the greens of the spring onion. Toss well then transfer to serving bags.
Season with the last of the spice mix and serve with the curry sauce on the side.

Notes

Chef Tips

Get the oil to 180°C before the chicken goes in

If the oil is below temperature, the coating absorbs it rather than sealing, and you end up with greasy, heavy chicken. A thermometer takes the guesswork out. Fry in batches and let the oil recover between each one so the temperature stays consistent.

Move fast in the wok

The chips and chicken are already cooked and crispy when they hit the wok. The toss is just to coat everything in the spice mix and get the vegetables slightly tender. Having all your ingredients prepped ahead and ready to fry then finished in the wok will ensure a hot, crispy end result for your spice bag. Keep the heat high, toss quickly, and serve immediately, because the longer it sits the more the chips soften.

Storage

This dish is best eaten straight off the wok. The chips and chicken lose their crispiness as they cool and don’t reheat well. If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a hot oven.

FAQs

Can I prep the components ahead of time?

Yes, and I’d recommend it. The chicken can marinate overnight in the fridge, the curry sauce can be made a day ahead and reheated, and the chips can be parboiled well in advance. The only things that need to be done fresh are the deep fry and the final wok toss.

Is it spicy?

It has gentle heat. The Kashmiri chilli powder is mild and is there mainly for colour, but the regular chilli powder does add some warmth. If you want less heat, reduce or leave out the regular chilli powder. If you want more, increase it.

Can I make it gluten free?

Yes. Substitute the plain flour in the chicken dredge with a gluten-free flour blend, or just use all rice flour. For the curry sauce, replace the plain flour in the roux with cornstarch: mix it with a little cold stock first to make a slurry, then whisk it in.