1 large chicken, 4 lb., cut into pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 bunch parsley, rinsed and dried, for garnish
Rinse the chicken well and pat it thoroughly dry. Sift the flours and the spices together into a small paper bag, so they are well mixed. Drop the chicken, two or three pieces at a time, into the bag, hold the bag closed, and shake it so the chicken is thoroughly covered. Transfer the chicken to a wire cake rack and let it sit, refrigerated, for 2 hours, so the flour will adhere. Reserve the remaining flour mixture.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken once more in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. When the oil is hot but not smoking, and a drop of water sprinkled into the pan sizzles, add the chicken, making sure you do not crowd the pan. Cover, and cook until the chicken begins to turn brown, about 8 minutes, reducing the heat slightly if necessary. Turn the chicken, cover, and continue cooking until it is cooked through and the juices from the thigh run clear when pricked with a fork, an additional 10 minutes.
Arrange the chicken on a brown paper bag to drain, and leave it for about 5 minutes. Then transfer the chicken to a warmed serving platter, garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.
The trick to keeping the flour on the chicken is letting it sit, so don’t stint on the time. Otherwise, all the spice will be left in the pan and your chicken won’t have its luscious crisp crunch. In fact, when the fat is at the right temperature–so drops of water sizzle in it–the chicken will emerge crisp and light. Drain it on a brown paper bag (rather than paper towel, which tends to steam the chicken), place it on a warmed platter and roll up your sleeves for a great finger-licking meal.