Sometimes it’s fun to get in and get creative with an item you may not always buy at the store.

Plum sauce is a sweet, somewhat earthy sauce that is often used in various Asian cuisines. But it doesn’t take much to thin and balance it out enough to make it really complex.

Coconut may not seem like something delicious for a main course, but it can add a really wonderful accent to a lovely fried chicken. Remember to always practice safe frying procedures, follow your manufacturer’s instructions, and never leave a fryer unattended when on. Otherwise your dinner will turn disasterous in the blink of an eye.

CocoCluck Katsu

3-4 chicken breasts pounded thin between two sheets of plastic wrap.

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 cup all pourpose flour

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

Salt, onion, and garlic powder

Using three separate bowls for preparing the chicken make a three step breading. Flour, salt, and powders combined in the first bowl. Whisk eggs and milk in the second, and panko and coconut combined in the third. Preheat your fryer to 355 degrees, and pat the chicken breasts dry.  Coat each breast in the flour, then egg, then coco breading before placing them individually in the fryer. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until fully cooked all the way through. This could take up to six minutes.

Plum Dip

1 cup plum sauce

¼ cup fresh limejuice

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup grape seed oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp fresh fine chopped mint (optional)

Whisk the ingredients together and serve. Also great on salad.

This is a great entree especially when served over veggie rice or maybe even alongside a garden salad. To drink you might pair sake, dry Riesling, or a Japanese lager beer. Keep on the lookout for new flavors in the store until next time.

Joey Schmidt, A.K.A. ‘Joey from Leeds’or ‘JFL,’ is a certified Sommelier, Birmingham bar menu consultant, and local culinary graduate. He is also the Head Mixologist for Rated R Cocktails, which updates weekly with drink recipes and news. Look for Rated R Cocktails on Twitter, Facebook, and the Internet.