Chicken Kataifi Schnitzel with Schug Tehina

Directions

For the tehina:

• Nick off a piece of the garlic (about a quarter of the clove) and drop it into a food processor.
• Squeeze the lemon juice into the food processor. Pour the tehina on top, making sure to scrape it all out of the container, and add the salt and cumin.
• Process until the mixture looks peanut buttery, about 1 minute.
• Stream in the ice water, a little at a time, with the motor running. Process just until the mixture is smooth and creamy and lightens to the color of dry sand.

For the schug:

• Combine the serrano chiles and kosher salt in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice, canola oil and ground coriander.
• Taste and add more salt if needed. This keeps, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks.
• Mix together 1 cup of tehina sauce and 1 tablespoon of schug in a small bowl. Taste and add salt and a squeeze of lemon juice as needed. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to a week.

For the schnitzel:

• Using a meat pounder, pound both chicken breasts until thin.
• Season chicken breasts liberally with salt on both sides, 1 teaspoon per breast.
• Add 1/2 cup of flour to a plate, whisk one egg in a bowl, and place kataifi strands on a plate.
• Roll chicken breasts in flour, pat out any extra flour, submerge in egg wash then roll in kataifi.
• Fill a Dutch oven with 1/2 inch of oil for frying. Bring the oil to 350 F.
• Fry the schnitzel until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 F, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
• Remove from the pan and drain on a resting rack or on a plate with paper towels.
• Plate with a sprinkle of sea salt and serve with the schug tehina on the side.

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