Bring Bar Non Solo to your abode with this mouth-watering recipe for braised meatballs and Pomodoro sauce

PHOTOS Yuki Sato | 31 Aug 2021

Having opened its doors two weeks ago, Bar Non Solo (the sister venue to beloved Parnell institution Non Solo Pizza) may not have had enough of a chance to welcome the city into its delightful space just yet, but we are resolute that it will be one of the first places we make a beeline for when we’re able to dine out again. Located in the refurbished space that previously housed The Deck at Ostro, Bar Non Solo overlooks the lights of Britomart, offering a convivial go-to for after-work drinks, pre-dinner snacks and lively nightcaps. As with its Parnell sister, the food is incredible, and to tide us over until we can once again visit in person, the team has kindly shared its recipe for braised meatballs in Pomodoro sauce.

Bar Non Solo’s Braised Meatballs in Pomodoro Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
Pomodoro sauce
½ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 onion, diced
1 cup leeks, finely chopped
1 cup spring onion, chopped
125mls prosecco
5 cups tinned tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
Sea salt to season

Meatballs (makes 36 meatballs)
4 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
500g ground pork
500g ground veal
500g ground beef
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
85g minced prosciutto (or ham)
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 cup gruyere, finely grated
60ml cream
100g butter
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to season
Crusty bread to serve with

Method:
Pomodoro sauce
1. In a heavy-based rondeau (a wide, shallow pan) combine the oil, garlic, leeks, and spring onion.
2. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.
3. Add prosecco and cook for a further 10 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, stirring well. Lower the heat to a simmer.
5. Cover the pan and cook for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Add parsley and basil and cook for a further 15 minutes. Do not strain.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat, add fresh herbs. Season with salt and put to the side.

Meatballs
1. In a large pot heat olive oil. Cook onions and garlic for about 10 minutes, until translucent.
2. Season with salt and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix the ground meats with black pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt.
4. Mix the chilled onion and garlic into the meat mixture, along with prosciutto. Add the breadcrumbs, eggs, gruyere and cream. Chill for 1 hour.
5. Once chilled, rolled into 4 centimetre balls.
6. Heat a large pot or heavy-based frypan. Add butter and bay leaves. Once the butter has melted and is starting to brown, add the desired amount of meatballs (the recommended serving is 4-6 per person).
7. Gently add the meatballs and brown evenly.
8. Once golden in colour, cover with Pomodoro sauce.
9. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked and firm.
10. Serve with crusty warm bread.

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Esk Valley bottles the best of Hawke’s Bay with a wine collection that heroes the region’s finest vineyards

31 Aug 2021

When it comes to wine, the terroir is incredibly important. Down to earth in the most discerning way, the characteristics of soil and site are responsible for bestowing each bottle with personality. As we all crave a sense of place, particularly at the moment, the provenance of a vineyard is revealed in a glass of wine, and memories of the season it was made are evoked.

Proud of its unique terroir, Esk Valley is home to some of the most exceptional vineyards in the Hawke’s Bay. The winery’s new Great Dirt collection has been crafted to hero the unique qualities of the vineyards that have long proven to create the most striking and thought-provoking wines. It’s a strikingly simple concept to let their natural resources shine.

“Every vineyard has a unique fingerprint that you can taste in its wine,” says Winemaker Gordon Russell. “[But] while all wines echo the site in which the grapes are grown, only a very small number can create truly fine wine.”

The Esk Valley Seabed Chardonnay 2019 hails from the Howard’s vineyard on the edge of the Ahuriri Estuary in Bay View. A former seabed, uplifted by the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, it imparts a salinity in this inimitable wine.

Sister wine to the renowned Heipipi The Terraces blend, the Esk Valley Hillside Malbec Merlot Cabernet Franc Syrah 2019 offers an alternative taste of the limestone and seashell laden soils of one of their finest vineyards, The Terraces. It sways towards red fruit and plum, as opposed to the distinctive brambly character of Heipipi.

Also from The Terraces, this time from a tiny plot of limestone soil, the Hillside Syrah 2019 is a unique and special drop — a lighter and more fragrant expression of Syrah compared to Esk Valley’s well-known examples of the Gimblett Gravels.

From left: Seabed Chardonnay 2019; Hillside Syrah 2019; Hillside Malbec Merlot Cabernet Franc Syrah 2019; River Gravel Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2019.

In the depth of the Gimblett Gravels, the River Gravel Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 is carefully crafted with a combination of three tiny vineyard plots of greywacke river gravel, which was formed in the wake of the 1867 Ngaruroro River flood. The ultimate selection of heat reflective soils produces a powerful, structured wine to be saved up in the cellar.

With a traditional, hands-off approach to producing its wines, Great Dirt is a true showcase of unquestionably great soil, and a rightful reflection of the natural environment of Hawke’s Bay — from wherever you may be sipping.

“While our analogue approach takes more time and more craft than is usual in today’s world, we believe we have created not only the most inspired, but the most inspiring wines,” says Russell. “[We] look forward to sharing the Great Dirt range with the world’s wine lovers.”

www.eskvalleywines.com

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Sweet, fragrant and oh-so simple, this may just be the best ginger slice recipe ever

30 Aug 2021

When it comes to a mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick-me-up, there’s almost nothing that beats a freshly made slice and a hot cuppa. Liv Glazebrook, the baking genius behind Kitchen of Treats, has very kindly shared with us her recipe for ginger pistachio slice. Sweet and fragrant from the ginger, with just the right amount of texture from the nuts, this no-bake slice is simply delicious. She says it’s one of her favourites, ever, and that’s how you know it’s got to be good.

Ginger Pistachio Slice Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup raw pistachios
125g butter, diced
1 packet Super Wine biscuits — crushed
½ tin condensed milk
1 cup desiccated coconut
60g crystallised ginger, chopped finely
2 tsp ground ginger

Icing
1¾ cups icing sugar
80g butter, softened
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp milk
20g crystallised ginger

Method:
Base
1. Line a slice tin with baking paper (Liv used a 20cm x 27cm tray).
2. Lightly roast the pistachio nuts and then roughly chop. Set half a cup aside to garnish.
3. Melt the butter and condensed milk together in a medium-sized saucepan over low heat.
4. Add the crushed biscuits, coconut, crystallised ginger and ground ginger as well as half the pistachio nuts.
5. Using the back of a spoon, evenly press the mixture into the slice tin and refrigerate.

Icing
1. Using an electric beater, beat together the icing sugar, butter, golden syrup, ground ginger and milk together until smooth.
2. Spread evenly over the base and sprinkle with remaining pistachios and crystallised ginger. Return to refrigerator.
3. Once cool, chop into squares and enjoy! This slice is best stored in the fridge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Liv Glazebrook (@kitchenoftreats)

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Most Wanted: How to make Jervois Steak House’s famous beef tartare

PHOTOS Anna Kidman | 27 Aug 2021

If you love ordering beef tartare when dining out but have always been too nervous to try making it at home, we suggest trying your hand at the famous Jervois Steak House recipe — certainly one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. It might be remarkably simple to put together, but this means the freshness and quality of your ingredients is paramount. Read on for JSH Executive Chef Gareth Stewart’s top tips and find the recipe below.

“Beef tartare is a quintessential steakhouse dish; diners will often judge the quality of a restaurant on its execution. It’s also something that’s both impressive and a bit different to serve at a dinner party. At Jervois Steak House, we’ve kept our ingredients classic, but with the presentation, we’ve changed the model so you mix in the garnishes yourself. Make sure you foster a close relationship with your butcher; tell them you’re making tartare so they can give you the highest quality cut of meat with no sinew or fat. And remember to always keep it on ice right up until serving, so it’s properly chilled.”

Tip: Look out for meat that is too red and really spongy to the touch. Firm meat that has a darker colour means that it has had time in the hook which is what you want. We use Taupō Farms at JSH which is sustainably and ethically farmed. Grass-fed is also perfect for tartare as it has the best flavour when eaten raw.

For local butchers operating via contactless delivery, consult our guide to the specialty stores trading during lockdown.

Jervois Steak House’s Classic Grass-Fed Beef Tartare Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients
360g beef eye fillet
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3-4 drops Tabasco sauce (or any preferred hot sauce)
1 each medium-sized baguette for toasts
150ml extra virgin olive oil for brushing the toasts
8 tsp finely chopped shallot
4 tsp finely chopped parsley
4 tsp finely chopped capers
4 tsp finely chopped cornichons
4 tsp Dijon mustard
4 raw egg yolks
Flaky salt, for seasoning
Black pepper

Equipment
Tray
Pastry brush
Bowl
Medium-to-large sized round pastry cutter

Method:
1. Preheat the oven on the grill setting, for toasting the bread.

2. Slice the bread into 16-20 thin slices and lay onto a baking tray. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and season with flaky salt. Toast until golden on both sides.

3. Season the beef with salt and pepper and combine with the Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in the bowl. Divide the seasoned beef into four balls.

4. Place a pastry ring cutter onto a serving plate and push one of the beef balls into the ring to make it level. Repeat for the remaining three plates.

5. Leaving space for the yolk in the centre, place the shallot, parsley, capers, cornichons and mustard in small piles around the top of the seasoned beef.

6. Separate the eggs using the shell to catch the yolk and carefully place the yolk into the centre.

7. Season the yolk with a pinch of flaky salt.

8. Leave it up to your guests to break the yolk and mix everything together and use the toast to scoop up your classic beef tartare.

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This impressive coastal terrace house finds perfect harmony between the urban and the organic

PHOTOS Justin Alexander | 27 Aug 2021

Magnificent views over Bronte Beach and the Pacific Ocean are just the beginning of this terraced house’s multifaceted appeal. With Tobias Partners having overseen the new-build’s architectural and interior design, its form climbs the steep slope from the street with both assured solidity and openness, an immediate materiality to its crisp structure and clean lines.

Ample use of light-coloured concrete and contrasting charcoal metal surfaces certainly contribute to this sturdiness, yet the building appears to have taken on board the vernacular of its coastal site, brimming with natural elements that mean it perfectly balances the urban and the organic. These include darkened wood doors and slatted panels, a spectacular marble kitchen island and skillful planting and landscaping throughout that add charming, verdant touches.

haller modular system BY USM from ECC, TUFTY TIME SOFA BY PATRICIA URQUIOLA FOR B&B ITALIA, CORK FAMILY STOOLS, GUERIDON COFFEE TABLE AND THE LOW TABLE FROM VITRA from Matisse.

The terraced layout approaches with ease a 13 metre climb from street level to the site’s highest point, reducing the overall bulk. The house’s lower levels encompass garage car parking, a swimming pool that looks out over the ocean, the main entry and a guest bedroom. Moving upwards, the main living and entertaining spaces include an entertaining terrace and a sheltered grassy courtyard while, perched at the top, are the family’s bedrooms and bathrooms.

EAMES CLASSIC LOUNGE CHAIR BY CHARLES AND RAY EAMES FOR HERMANN MILLER from Matisse, AVIO SOFA AND THE GRASSHOPPER COFFEE TABLES BY PIERO LISSONI FOR KNOLL, DIAMOND ARMCHAIR BY HARRY BERTOIA FOR KNOLL, TULIP SIDE TABLE BY EERO SAARINEN FOR KNOLL from Studio Italia, ILLUM TABLE AND CHAIRS BY TRIBÙ from Dawson & Co.

Internal rooms are also distributed by the multi-levelled building, with several attached outdoor spaces letting natural light flood the home and inviting in a refreshing cross-flow breeze. Just as this home exists in harmony with the surrounding environment, so too are the indoor and outdoor spaces within it able to be traversed as one, for a delightful al fresco meal or to simply soak up some sun and that breathtaking view.

A base of enduring, timeless materials is ripe for the addition of furnishings that bestow personality and quirk. In the entranceway, a modular system from USM’s Haller collection acts as both definition for the space and a display shelf, brimming with eye-catching objet d’art, sculptural lamps and curated books, providing an interesting gallery of sorts upon arrival or when viewed from the outside-in. The same effect is bestowed by a playful mix of mid-century modern and contemporary furniture designs, some rendered in saturated colour that feel purposeful in the space among others in pared back neutrals.

For a project that opens itself up so ardently to the elements, the team at Tobias Partners have still managed to create a home that cocoons its residents in privacy and comfort. A dynamic and joyful haven that offers peace and respite, with a healthy dose of sea air.

Image credit: Justin Alexander

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Lockdown cocktail recipes for at-home happy hour, courtesy of Viaduct Harbour

27 Aug 2021

Bars may not be open for patrons currently, but we can still benefit from the expertise of some of Auckland’s top mixologists while at home. Luckily for us, four of our favourite Viaduct Harbour venues have each shared a recipe for a scrumptious cocktail, perfect for impressing our bubbles and taking the edge off.

Drop the Beet by Soul Bar and Bistro

Ingredients:
45ml tequila
15ml port
15ml ginger syrup
5ml beetroot juice
15ml pineapple juice
30ml lime juice
tsp raspberry jam

Method:
1. Combine tequila, port, ginger syrup, beetroot juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, raspberry jam in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add ice and shake hard.
3. Strain into rocks glass over large ice cube.

N.B. To substitute for port, combine equal parts red wine and white sugar and reduce on the stove by half. Allow this to cool completely before using.

N.B. To make ginger syrup, peel and roughly chop 200g ginger. Muddle in a small saucepan, add 500g white sugar, 500ml water, and stir until sugar has dissolved. Put on medium heat for 10 minutes and allow to cool before straining out the solids. Will keep for one week, refrigerated.

Jammin’ Quarantini by Rooftop at QT

Ingredients:
2 parts gin
1.5 parts jam, any flavour you have at home
1 part fresh citrus
1 part egg white

Method:
Shake hard with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

N.B. “Parts” are an easy way to measure if you don’t have a measuring device at home. For example, use a shot glass!

Yuzu Spumoni by Hello Beasty

Ingredients:
30ml Campari
60ml Orange Juice
40-50ml East Imperial Yuzu Tonic to finish

Method:
1. Stack your favourite highball glass with ice — note, this is not a huge drink, so dial up the ingredients according to your glassware.
2. Shake together the Campari and juice with ice — it’ll go lovely and foamy.
3. Strain over ice, then top with the yuzu tonic and give it a quick stir.
4. Garnish with a slice of orange, put your feet up (again) and enjoy.

To make a classic Japanese Spumoni: use traditional tonic and swap the OJ for grapefruit juice.

Staying Ahead by Parasol & Swing

Ingredients:
60ml quality Scotch (or whatever whisky you have)
20ml fresh lemon juice
20ml of your shrub (see below)
2 dashes of bitters (optional)
1 egg white (optional)

Shrub:
1 part fruit
1 part white sugar
1 part apple cider vinegar

Method:
1. Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake vigorously.
2. If you are adding the egg white, first shake the liquids to emulsify the whites.
3. Then, add your ice to the shaker, shake it very hard for 10-15 seconds and pour the contents into a rocks glass.

Bartender’s notes:
To make the shrub, combine equal parts fruit, white sugar and apple cider vinegar in a pot. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then strain and chill. Parasol & Swing owner Jason Rosen made his from a combination of guava jelly, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar. You can substitute the fruit element for berries, jams, apple sauce or any type of fruit you prefer. The cocktail will also work with a liqueur or even just a fruit syrup.

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Try this buffalo chicken taco recipe for a tasty weekend ‘fakeaway’ fix

27 Aug 2021

Craving takeaways? Miss Polly’s Kitchen has come to our rescue, sharing a seriously delicious recipe for fried buffalo chicken tacos just in time for the weekend. Featuring juicy fried chicken, tangy buffalo sauce and fresh fillings, this recipe is the perfect excuse to bring together your bubble for an irresistible lockdown feast.

Fried Buffalo Chicken Tacos Recipe
Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 chicken tenders
½ cup flour
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 egg — whisked
Oil for frying

Buffalo Sauce
½ cup buffalo sauce
¼ cup butter
A good squeeze of honey

To Serve
4 soft shell taco shells
Ranch dressing
Baby cos lettuce
Coriander
Red onion (thinly sliced)
Tasty cheese
Sliced gherkins (Miss Polly’s Kitchen recommends McClure’s Pickles)

Method:
1. Cover the chicken tenders in half the buffalo sauce. Leave in the fridge for 30 mins — 24 hours.

2. Assemble all the filling ingredients onto a board (lettuce, coriander, red onion, cheese and gherkins).

3. Mix together the flour, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika.

4. In a small pot, heat the remaining buffalo sauce, butter and honey. Let it simmer on a low heat, then remove and set aside.

5. Heat a pot of oil on medium to low heat. Do not let it start smoking.

6. Dredge the chicken tenders in the flour mix, dip in the whisked egg then transfer back into the flour mix to coat once more and set aside.

7. Drop the tenders (carefully) into the oil for 2 minutes and then turn them for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the oil to rest on a wire rack. While these are frying you can warm your tacos over the flame or in a pan.

8. Once the chicken is cooked, place the chicken on a plate or bowl and pour over the buffalo sauce.

9. Now quickly whip your little taco into shape. Miss Polly’s Kitchen recommends ranch dressing on the bottom, then lettuce, followed by buffalo chicken, grated cheese, pickles, coriander and red onion.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Miss Polly’s Kitchen (@miss_pollys_kitchen)

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Keeping us stylish and comfortable when we need it most, Muse Boutique’s Nagnata drop is making all our activewear dreams come true

27 Aug 2021

Gone are the days when you wouldn’t want to be seen in your leisurewear or workout gear — especially with brands like Nagnata offering such stylish, design-led and comfortable pieces. The sustainably-minded fashion and lifestyle brand was founded in Australia in May 2017, and has won fans the world over for its offering that blends luxurious knitwear with movement apparel.

Nagnata is unique in that it prioritises organic and renewable fibres in the creation of its eye-catching sets, bodysuits, sweaters and t-shirts. This includes an emphasis on organic cotton and merino, breathable fabrics that offer just the right amount of warmth in spring and breathability in summer.

Currently, for obvious reasons, comfort is top of mind when we’re putting together an outfit for the day — however, that doesn’t mean we want to sacrifice aesthetics. Hence why we’re eyeing up the latest drop of Nagnata at its exclusive New Zealand stockist, Muse Boutique. Within Nagnata’s new collection, we love the Lucid Bralet in the shade ‘Cuba’ (and the matching Lucid Yoni shorts) as well as the cute Lucid Sweater in Dune.

While we were perusing, we couldn’t help but notice Muse has a host of other new arrivals — from fluffy slides and stomp-worthy boots by Gia Borghini, to lush knitwear from Anine Bing; chic minimal pieces from Theory and more. We all need things to look forward to, and ours might just be looking forward to the delivery day of our brand new, and very stylish, wardrobe additions. We’ll also look forward to showing them off to the outside world when we’re all mixing and mingling once again.

www.museboutique.co.nz

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Find a fresh perspective with the most riveting documentaries to stream right now

26 Aug 2021

As the most compelling cinematic experience we can have, documentaries offer a chance to understand and connect with other people’s views of the world. While we’re stuck at home, why not stream one of these well-timed documentaries, and be transported to the world of Paris haute couture, New York’s 90s rap scene, Vienna’s turn-of-the-century art society and more.

Wonder Boy
He is one of the most lauded designers on the planet and is no stranger to rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, but Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing’s origins are far less glamorous. Wonder Boy follows Rousteing’s journey to find his birth parents, and in the process is an exploration of identity and how different people emerge from an unconventional start to life. Available on Netflix

Val
This documentary is an intimate look at Val Kilmer, who is more creative than we all probably knew. While he is a famous actor, he has also been a life-long filmmaker himself and Val is put together from hand-held camera clips filmed by Kilmer and his friends and family throughout his life. Kilmer was recently diagnosed with throat cancer and is still recovering, finding it difficult to talk, so his son Jack Kilmer narrates this moving film that gives us insight into someone who is truly an artist at heart. Available on Amazon Prime

Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche
Creativity loves restraint, and at the turn-of-the-century the golden age of the Vienna art world was coming to an end as legendary painters Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele fundamentally changed the feeling of art. Shown across five stunning exhibitions, with never-before-seen access, Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche recounts another extraordinary moment in history — when art portrayed humanity’s restlessness, fears and desires with a new intensity. Available at Academy On Demand

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal
If you were aware of this drama when it happened in 2019, you undoubtedly watched it unfold with a hefty dose of schadenfreude — it involved over 50 people (including a couple of famous actors) who were charged with a range of crimes from bribery to document forgery, all in the name of getting a group of privileged kids into elite colleges. This documentary investigates the mastermind behind the scam, a man called Rick Singer, through a series of incredibly realistic reenactments using real recorded conversations from the FBI. Available on Netflix

The Taste of Desire
Although it may not feel like the world is our oyster at the moment, this cinematic exploration of the oyster reveals the complexity of our desires. Following six very different people who prise it open, from Michelin-star chefs to a burlesque dancer, the sensual and at-time surreal film shares the lengths we will go to find satisfaction. Available as part of the Doc Edge Festival’s Virtual Bubble

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell
While we all know how this story unfortunately ends, Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell explores the origins of someone who, even 25 years after his death, is still considered one of the world’s greatest rappers. It features intimate interviews with Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G’ Wallace’s mother Voletta, label boss and friend Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs and more, and focuses on the incredible rise to fame of this legendary talent. Available on Netflix

The Scam
New Zealand’s award-winning documentary initiative Loading Docs has returned with a new season of short stories. Despite its twists and turns, the Tūmanako collection provides a hopeful viewpoint from our land and sea. Our pick is The Scam — a true crime adventure where an elderly Greymouth beekeeper inadvertently becomes a Brazilian cocaine mule, and comes close to catastrophe. Available at Loading Docs.

Fight for the Wild
Journey, virtually, into the wild heart of Aotearoa in Fight for the Wild. The film and podcast series explores the notion of a Predator Free 2050 and asks whether this ambitious conservation initiative is achievable and if so, how? Really, it offers a chance to see up-close the unique native species that also call New Zealand home. Available at NZ On Air Watch & Listen

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Most Wanted: How to make Azabu’s famous chicken karaage

PHOTOS Anna Kidman | 25 Aug 2021

No doubt one of Japan’s most popular dishes, chicken karaage has been perfected down to a fine art in Auckland by Azabu Executive Chef Yukio Ozeki. Now, you too can enjoy it at home, as he shares his top tips for the most moreish karaage.

“Crunchy on the outside, juicy and flavourful on the inside, karaage is a super popular Japanese street food that everyone loves. Delicious as both an appetizer and a main, it’s simple to make at home, but there are a few tips to making sure it’s the best it can be. The secrets to our recipe are the 24-hour marinade ahead of cooking, and frying the chicken twice. Don’t forget to finish with a sprinkle of salt and serve with Japanese mayonnaise and lemon juice.”

Azabu’s Free-Range Chicken Karaage Recipe
Serves 2-3

Ingredients
450g free-range chicken thigh with skin on
6g garlic
8g ginger
20g buttermilk
2g ground black pepper
2g sea salt
100g potato starch
1L vegetable oil

To serve
1 lemon, sliced into wedges
1 spring onion, finely sliced
50g Japanese mayo

Method
1. Cut the chicken thigh into bite-sized pieces of about 4cm.

2. Grate the ginger and garlic.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, buttermilk, ginger, garlic, ground black pepper and sea salt. Mix well. Put it in a ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight.

4. Take the chicken out of the fridge when ready to cook. Decant potato starch into a bowl and dredge the marinated chicken in the starch to coat each piece.

5. Pour the oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and heat the oil to 160ºC on medium heat.

6. For the first round of deep-frying: Deep fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the outside of the chicken is a light golden colour. Transfer to a wire rack to drain the excess oil. Place in the refrigerator or outside for at least 15 minutes.

7. For the second round of deep-frying: Now heat the oil to 175ºC. Deep fry for 2 minutes, or until the skin is a nice golden colour and is crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to drain the excess oil and continue with the remaining chicken.

8. Season immediately with sea salt and serve, garnished with spring onion, lemon slices and Japanese mayo.

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