1lbboneless skinless chicken thighscut into bite sized pieces
1egg whitesee note
1/2tbsplight soy sauce
1/2tbspShaoxing wine
1/2cupcornstarch
High heat oil for deep frying
Salted Egg Yolk Sauce
4salted egg yolks
3tbspbutter
1-2Thai bird’s eye chilideseeded and finely chopped, optional
1-2tspsugar
10-15curry leavesor Thai basil
Instructions
Separate the salted egg yolks from the whites. Steam the yolks over high heat for 10 minutes until cooked through, then crumble with a fork until very fine. Set aside.
Marinate the chicken: whisk together the egg white with 1 tablespoon cornstarch until light and frothy. Add the chicken, soy sauce, and shaoxing wine and let marinate for 15 minutes.
Place a rack over a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Heat 2 inches of oil in a high-sided, heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat until oil reaches 350°F.
Scoop the chicken out of the marinade and toss in the remaining cornstarch. Use a pair of tongs to gently add the chicken to the hot oil in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes, flipping as needed. Drain the chicken on your prepared rack and keep warm in the oven.
When all the chicken is cooked and keeping warm in the oven, make the sauce: In a frying pan, melt the butter over very low heat. Add the mashed salted egg yolks to the butter and cook until it starts to foam up.
Stir in the chili, sugar, and basil/curry leaves. Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly and enjoy immediately!
Notes
The egg white for the chicken batter is just a regular egg white, not salted.