delicious Australia - May 2020

EXTRACT.
I HAVE THIS love of fried chicken that borders on
obsession. That moment when a perfectly fried bird
has that crunch and is seasoned just right, the herbs
and spices so perfectly balanced. It transports me
– a moment of happiness in an otherwise
maddening pursuit of perfecting my craft. I knew it as soon as I took that first bite of
Nashville hot bird – I was a goner. I had to know how it was done, what made it so
goddamn delicious.
Then there’s the feeling you get when you cook a piece just so, spending the time
preparing everything just perfect, the spices tried and tested, each gram measured
and freshly ground, the flour sifted and sifted again, making it as light as possible
before folding through the spices, never rushing; that moment you drop a piece of
chicken ready to fry into a bubbling and sizzling skillet.
It must be strange for those who know to see something so uniquely Nashville in
the hands of strangers so far from home. I’m just trying to carry the flag and stay as
true to the spirit as I can. Everything we do at The Hot Chicken Project comes from
a place of absolute admiration for what those originators of hot chicken have done.
I wanted to create a place with substance, a place that could become part of the
community. And the food, of course, somewhere that would honour the legacy that
is now set so firmly in Tennessee folklore.
And I didn’t want to just take it, all that hard work. That creation. I wanted to share
it. I wanted as many people as possible to
experience the same joy it gives me, every bite,
still to this day.
This is an edited extract from The Hot Chicken
Project by Aaron Turner (Hardie Grant, $48).
MAKE IT RIGHT
THE TEMPERATURE
“I was eating a piece of Southern fried
chicken that was so perfect in temperature,
I was compelled to ask the cook how it was
done. ‘Honey, it’s simple. You gotta have
that chicken outta the fridge at least two
hours before the fry, otherwise your
chicken gonna be no good.’”
THE CRUNCH
“It’s the attention during the process of 6
minutes 20 seconds of hot oil acrobatics
and ninja-like focus that I love. The key is
to not overcrowd your fry basket or skillet
and shaking every 30 seconds, sometimes
moving them around in the basket, making
sure they stay submerged in the cooking
oil. That’s the key to a good, crispy wing.”
THE SIDES
“Of course, there is the all-important
pickle – sweet, salty slices of heaven that
offer blessed relief.”
@aaronigni
60 delicious.com.au