Chinese style salt and pepper chicken drumsticks

Special equipment • bamboo steamer

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

8 chicken drumsticks

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper

about 2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 fresh hot red chile peppers, seeded and sliced into strips lengthwise

bunch of scallions (green onions), sliced on the diagonal

lemon wedges, for serving

Method:

1 Lay the chicken drumsticks in a bamboo or other steamer basket (or use a colander fitted inside a large pot, if you don’t have a steamer basket). Place the steamer over a pan of boiling water, cover, and steam for 10–15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, and let cool slightly.

2 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Firmly pat the mixture all over the chicken to coat. Place the drumsticks in a roasting pan with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, and cook for 10–15 minutes until crispy and golden.

3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the chiles and scallions, and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly browned at the edges. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. To serve, sprinkle the scallion mixture over the hot drumsticks, and garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Chinese style salt and pepper chicken drumsticks