Spicy Fried Chicken with Cabbage Slaw

 So, who wants fried chicken for dinner? Ha, is that even a question to be taken seriously? With a loud chiming the 3, my two kids and the bigger one (the hubmeister) chimes in or screams, I should say, YESS!! Oh yes, it is a favorite here.
I don't like messing too much with this Southern favorite, but I do like to add personality to my recipe, which makes for this rather seriously crave-worthy fried chicken. Crispy on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside. Just the right comfort food for this Southern family (Southern Indian, that is )
Try it out, folk. It's a finger-lickin' fry that probably deserves the unison yell-out for more.

So you scream, I scream, WE ALL scream for SPICY FRIED CHICKEN!

Ingredients:

• *1 (2- 3 pound) chicken, cut up into 10 pieces 
• 3 cup(s) buttermilk
• water to immerse chicken
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp cayenne/chili powder (Indian) or paprika
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tablespoons hot Asian chili sauce (Sriracha)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt or adjust to taste
• *2-3 cups peanut oil, for frying

Method:

•  In a large and deep bowl/pot, mix in 1 cup buttermilk and salt, cayenne. Fill and mix with enough water to immerse chicken to brine.
• Place chicken pieces in buttermilk/ water mixture.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• In a large, shallow platter, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, pepper until well blended.
•  In another platter, combine the remaining 2 cups buttermilk and chili sauce, soy sauce, salt and whisk well.
• Now, drain the water out from the chicken and pat completely dry.
• Dredge the pieces, a few at a time, in the seasoned flour.
• Dip each piece into the buttermilk mixture 
• Dredge again in  flour. 
• Set aside, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 285 degrees F (to keep fried chicken warm while waiting for the whole batch to finish frying).
• Pour peanut oil into large, deep pot, less than halfway up the pot. 
• Heat oil on high (350 to 365 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer) or test to see if bubbles appear by dipping handle of a wooden spoon into the oil.
• After placing chicken in oil, 2- 3 at a time, and without overcrowding, reduce heat to medium. 
• Fry until golden brown and cooked through( turn only once), about 15 minutes per side.
• Take off heat, draining as much oil as you can with a slotted spoon.
• Place cooked chicken on lined baking sheets in preheated oven to keep warm as you finish and repeat with all the remaining chicken.
• Serve hot, with lemon wedges, peppers.

Notes: 

flour dredge/ buttermilk soak, resting, frying

I take the skin off the pieces, but if you prefer skin on chicken, keep it on.

We don't use a whole fryer, instead we buy a mix of about 10-12 thighs/ drumsticks, since we're dark meat lovers.
The purpose of the chicken immersed in the buttermilk/water mixture is to brine, a method that moistens meat and improves flavor content. It provides a sort of temperature cushion while frying chicken.
Remember, if you don't need this much heat, lessen the quantity of spice or substitute with paprika.

And the side that so well complemented our meal:
Cabbage pepper slaw:
(Adapted from a food magazine with my own variations)

• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into small pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut small
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 head green cabbage, roughly chopped and sliced thinly
• 3 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise

Method:

• Whisk the sugar and salt with vinegar until dissolved.
• Add mustard seeds, pepper, bell peppers, celery, scallions and cabbage and toss to combine.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
• Add in mustard and mayonnaise and combine well.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 My yummy side dish- cabbage/ pepper slaw

Everyday, as I experiment with my blog I learn something new since entering this new world of web logging. Though overwhelming, it's very exciting. And each day I find new ways to hopefully make this a read-worthy blog. It's not perfect and it is a work in progress. So thanks for bearing with me, friends, while I tweak and try to make my recipes,blog and writing as authentic and  inspiringly fun as I possibly can.

As for the camera and pictures, it's also work in progress:))