CHICKEN PREPARATION

(Note: This is optional. I do this to remove fat before cooking and the ice water to make the chicken juicier. You can just roll raw chicken in the prepared batters and fry.)

Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. While waiting for water to boil, prepare a large bowl with water and ice. Make sure the ice water bowl is large enough to fit your chicken.

Add the chicken and let boil only until fat starts foaming at the top. Remove from heat. Remove one breast at a time with tongs and carefully slice into 1 inch strips, cutting off any additional fat. Place strips in ice water bowl. Let strips sit in ice water for 45 minutes to an hour.

BATTER PREPARATION

Get two containers- one for the dry batter and one for the wet batter. I prefer to use square or rectangle casserole dishes because they are easier for rolling the chicken.

For wet batter, mix all the dry ingredients first (flour and spices). Add eggs and beer, mix well (it should be a light yellow with spices mixture)

For dry batter, mix all ingredients in dish. You can sift them together or just mix them- just so everything is mixed up together.

FRYING

Now for the fun part! Add peanut oil and sesame seed oil to either a deep fryer (that's what I use) or a large pan (they say iron skillets are best). Mix together the oils so the sesame oil will season the peanut oil. This is optional but I personally think this adds a great flavor to the oil and makes it taste light.

Heat the oil to 365 degrees.

Drain water from the chicken. Place chicken on towels (or paper towels) and pat dry. Carefully roll the chicken strips in the wet batter, then lightly roll in the dry batter. Gently place in the oil. After 2 minutes, roll the strip over on to the other side. (If you're using a deep-fryer, you can just keep rolling it if you want). Let cook for about 5-6 minutes or until it is a golden color. If you're using raw chicken that hasn't been pre-prepared like above, you may want to keep it in for an additional minute or two to ensure the inside is cooked throughout.

When pieces are done, carefully remove from the oil and place them on a plate lined with towels (paper or otherwise) to soak up any additional oil. Let cool for 2 minutes and then season to taste with salt (some people like theirs more salty, others less- especially if they like to use sauces).