Ingredients

• 1 litre/1¾ pint buttermilk
• 100g/3½oz salt
• 1kg/2lb 4oz chicken wings
• jointed
• 125g/4½oz rice flour
• 125g/4½oz potato flour
• 125g/4½oz plain flour
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil
• for deep-frying
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 red bird's-eye chilli
• finely chopped
• 75g/2½oz palm sugar
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 600g/1lb 5oz watermelon
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 lime
• juice only
• ½ garlic clove
• crushed
• ½ Thai red chilli
• handful fresh coriander leaves
• handful fresh mint leaves
• handful roasted peanuts
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• ½ tsp finely chopped fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 tsp crispy garlic
• 1 tsp crispy shallots
• 1 tsp pickled red chillies
• 1 free-range egg
• fried

Directions

• For the chicken wings
• in a large bowl
• whisk together the buttermilk and all but 1 tsp of the salt. Add the chicken and stir well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.
• For the salad
• put the watermelon in a large bowl
• cover and chill in the fridge for 3 hours.
• Meanwhile
• gently simmer all the sticky chilli sauce ingredients with 1 tablespoon water in a saucepan over a low heat for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• For the salad dressing
• put the palm sugar
• fish sauce
• lime juice
• garlic and Thai red chilli together in a food processor and blend until smooth. Mix with the cold watermelon in a very cold bowl
• then fold in the herbs and peanuts.
• Mix together the flours
• black pepper and the remaining salt in a large bowl. Thoroughly coat the chicken in the seasoned flour ready for frying.
• Heat the deep-fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.). Fry the wings in batches for 7 minutes.until cooked through
• golden brown and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside to cool slightly. Coat the wings in the sticky chilli sauce.
• Mix together all the garnish ingredients. Pile the chicken wings into a serving bowl
• sit the fried egg on top
• and serve with the salad
• garnished with the herb and spice mixture.