KFC Thailand is bringing back its tongue-numbing, ‘bravehearted chicken’ wings with mala hot sauce

By Coconuts Bangkok

Aug 1, 2019 | 12:19pm Bangkok time

If you thought that mala sauce had already reached its peak trendiness phase — it’s appearing everywhere from spicy hot to street vendors’ grilled pork skewers in Thailand — well, think again. Mala sauce fever has just begun.

Colonel Sanders and his corporate fried chicken henchmen announced today that KFC Thailand has brought back a limited edition menu item, the mala fried chicken, which apparently achieved quite a lot of popularity when it launched last year. The dish is officially called “Kai Jai Ded” in Thai, which literally means “bravehearted chicken.” And it’s advertised to be “giving merciless tongue-numbness.”

Like last year, the mala chicken is priced at THB42 per piece and offers two levels of spiciness (good news for those who want one degree less of hella hot chicken): “super duper spicy” and “childish spicy.” You can also opt for a set meal, which includes, two pieces of Kai Jai Ded, fries and a soft drink for THB99.

Mala, which originates from China’s Sichuan province, has become hugely popular across other parts of Asia in recent years. People love it because of its satisfying spice factor — achieved through a blend of chili oil, dried chilis and aromatics such as cloves, cardamom, fennel and cinnamon — as well as the mouth-numbing sensation brought on by Sichuan peppercorns.

According to KFC Thailand, the mala chicken will be available both at stores and through online ordering from now until August 28 or until they run out of supply.

Last year, KFC’s Kai Jai Ded became such a hit that it attracted some vloggers to take it on as a spicy food challenge (some of them ended up having to put out the fire in their mouths, and wiping sweat off their faces).