Sesame chicken

Cut the chicken breast in half and slice it one third of an inch thick.

Marinate with the minced garlic, black pepper, soy sauce, salt, baking soda, egg and three tablespoons of sweet potato starch; mix thoroughly and rest 20 minutes.

Spread the coating starch in a big container, spray it a few times, wait 20 seconds and fluff with a whisk; repeat five times until the starch clumps.

Lay the chicken on the clumpy starch one piece at a time with space between, stir with chopsticks, cover and shake well, then shake off the excess through a sieve.

Rest the coated chicken 15 minutes so the starch bonds and falls off less when frying.

Heat the oil to 380F and fry in two batches, just until cooked through, not golden; drain in a basket and sieve the crumbs out of the oil.

Rest 15 minutes; the residual heat finishes the chicken and the moisture redistributes and softens the crust.

Mix the brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ketchup and black vinegar; stir the water and starch together and add to the sauce bowl.

Bring the oil to 400F and double fry two to three minutes until golden to reinforce the crust.

Pour the oil out leaving a couple of teaspoons in the wok, add the sauce and stir until it thickens.

Toss the chicken in, add a big drizzle of sesame oil and the roasted sesame seeds and mix thoroughly.

Serve over rice with diced scallion sprinkled over.