Sweet chili sauce, Thai sriracha or plum sauce

Break the chicken down into two wings, two legs, two thighs and two breasts.

For easier cooking, cut the breast pieces in half, to make a total of ten pieces.

Place the pieces in a large bowl.

Make some cuts along the leg and thigh bones to expose the flesh to the marinade and make the frying easier later.

You can reserve the backbone for later to make chicken stock.

Place the black peppercorns, white peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a spice grinder and pulse until you reach a fine powder, then transfer the powder to a blender.

(You can also use the ground versions if needed.) Add the turmeric, lemongrass, garlic, cilantro, fish sauce, Thai black soy sauce, baking soda and water.

Blend in 2-second increments until pureed, about 1 minute.

Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces in the bowl and massage it into the chicken for about 2 minutes.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.

To make the fried herbs, peel the shallots and slice them thinly, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.

Season them with kosher salt and lay them out to dry on paper towels.

This will remove excess moisture before frying.

While the shallots are drying, prep the kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil, lemongrass and Thai chilies.

Set everything out near the stove to make for easier frying.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, preheat the oil to a moderate temperature, about 325°F (165°C).

Fry the sliced shallots slowly to dehydrate and crisp them.

Stir and turn the shallots over occasionally to fry evenly, about 4 minutes.

When the bubbles slow down, use a slotted spoon to take the shallots out just before they turn a nice golden color.

They will continue to cook after you remove them, and can become bitter if cooked to a dark color, so be cautious not to overcook them.

Remove them to a rack to drain and season lightly with kosher salt.

Have a pan lid in one hand like a shield to protect yourself, then use your other hand to drop in each type of herb one at a time.

The basil especially tends to spatter.

Fry the herbs until they are crispy, about 90 seconds.

Remove to a rack to drain and season lightly with kosher salt.

Increase the oil temperature to 360°F (180°C).

While the oil is coming to temperature, mix the batter ingredients in a bowl; it should be fairly thin, like cream.

Pour the batter into the chicken and mix well to coat the chicken pieces thoroughly.

When the oil is at temperature, carefully lower a few pieces of chicken at a time into the oil.

Cook until golden brown and delicious, and the internal temperature is at least 160°F (70°C), remembering that it will continue to cook a little after removal.

Remove to the rack and season with kosher salt.

Continue cooking the remaining pieces until all are cooked.

Serve with Thai Sticky Rice, the crispy shallots, herbs, Thai chiles and your choice of sauce.