Chicken Manchurian with Rice

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken breast (Cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Ginger paste (For the batter)
• 1 tsp Garlic paste (For the batter)
• 1 Egg (Whisked)
• 3 tbsp Cornflour (Cornstarch)
• 4 tbsp Oil (Vegetable, corn, rapeseed, or sesame oil)
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste (Sliced; reduce quantity if desired)
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• 1 Red onion (Chopped into 1-inch chunks)
• 1 Red pepper (Small; chopped into 1-inch chunks)
• 1 Green pepper (Small; chopped into 1-inch chunks)
• 3 tsp Soy sauce
• 5 tbsp Sweet chilli sauce (Any variety)
• 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper (For the sauce)
• 1 Spring onion (Green onion; sliced finely)
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds

Steps

1. 1

   Make the batter by whisking the egg, cornflour, salt, ground black pepper, ginger paste, and garlic paste together in a large bowl. If using frozen popcorn chicken, skip directly to frying.

2. 2

   Add the chicken pieces to the batter and coat them thoroughly.

3. 3

   Heat the oil in a wok. Check that it is hot by dropping in a little batter; it should steadily rise to the top.

4. 4

   Fry the chicken in batches, taking care not to crowd the wok. Shallow-fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden all over.

5. 5

   Remove the fried chicken with a slotted spoon. Place it on a wire rack set over a tray lined with paper towels so the chicken stays crisp.

6. 6

   Add the garlic paste and ginger paste to the wok with the remaining oil. Sauté for 30 seconds.

7. 7

   Add the chopped red pepper, green pepper, and red onion. Cook for 2 minutes, keeping the vegetables crisp and avoiding overcooking.

8. 8

   Stir in the soy sauce and cook for 30–40 seconds.

9. 9

   Stir in the sweet chilli sauce and ground black pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.

10. 10

    Scatter the sliced spring onion and sesame seeds over the chicken. Serve immediately with rice.

Notes

The recipe is served with plain rice, egg fried rice, or noodles. The accompanying page notes that the chicken may be marinated for up to 30 minutes, although this is not necessary. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but the batter may become slightly soggy. For a saucier version, the page suggests adding chicken stock or water and thickening with a cornflour slurry; quantities and method for this variation are not specified.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Indo-Chinese
• fried
• spicy
• chicken
• quick meal
• rice accompaniment