Sweet & sour chicken
Try an authentic version of this classic Chinese takeaway dish, with natural sweetness and a warm chilli flavour to spice things up
Ingredients
- sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
- 6.67 tbspsoda water chilled
- 4.94 ozself-raising flour
- 0.88 ozCornflour
- 4skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into chunks
- spring onions, to serve, finely shredded
- 1red pepper into chunks, deseeded chopped
- 3red chillies 1 cut into chunks, 2, halved deseeded
- 14.99 ozcan pineapple chunks, juice reserved, drained
- 4Star Anise
- 1.76 ozTamarind Paste
- 3.53 ozCaster Sugar
- 6.67 tbsprice wine vinegar or Chinese vinegar
Instructions
- 1
For the sauce, put the red pepper, chunks of chilli and pineapple juice in a pan and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 10 mins, then purée in a food processor.
- 2
Return to the pan with the pineapple chunks, chilli halves, star anise, tamarind, sugar and vinegar. Gently simmer for 20-30 mins until reduced and sticky. Keep warm, or reheat to serve.
- 3
Fill a large pan 1cm deep with oil and heat until shimmering. Whisk the soda water and 100ml cold water into the self-raising flour with a little salt. Stir the batter well.
- 4
Tip the cornflour onto a plate, line a tray with kitchen paper and turn on the oven to low. Dust the chicken with cornflour, then dip into the batter.
- 5
One at a time, lower into the hot oil (about 5-6 every batch). Turn up the heat to keep the chicken frying, if needed, and cook for 5-6 mins, turning once.
- 6
When cooked, drain on the tray, and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- 7
Stack onto a plate with the warm sauce on the side, and scatter with shredded spring onions.