Cantonese Sweet and Sour Chicken (甜酸雞)

Cantonese Sweet and Sour Chicken and Boiled White Rice

Sweet and Sour is probably the best known Chinese dish. Cantonese style is my favourite Sweet and Sour, with it's crispy batter coated chicken and rich thick sauce. It is very easy to make and easily as good (if not better) as buying it from a restaurant.

This is a relatively easy meal to make and takes approximately 30 - 40 minutes in total.

Cantonese Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

• 400g (approx) of Chicken breast
• 8 (approx) Spring Onions (chopped into 2-3cm lengths)
• 3 medium to large Cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)

Batter:

• 6 Tablespoons of Plain Flour
• 6 Tablespoons of Corn Flour
• 180ml of Water
• 1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder / Bicarbonate of Soda

Sauce:

• 6 Tablespoons of Passata (Tomato Ketchup will also work but will give a much richer taste)
• 6 Tablespoons of Chilli Sauce (I use Maggi brand but any will do)
• 2 Teaspoons of Plum Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon of Lea Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Chinese Rice Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon of Oyster Sauce
• 6 Tablespoons of Water
• 1 Teaspoon of Corn Flour
• 5 Dashes of Pepper
• 4 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon of Brown Sugar

Preparation:

Add all the ingredients for the sauce into a saucepan, heat gently and mix thoroughly until it becomes a smooth, fairly thick, red sauce. Leave to cool.

Mix the ingredients for the batter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until the batter is smooth and thick (Should cling slightly to the whisk / spoon).

Cooking:

Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks and add into the bowl with the batter mix. Stir until all the chicken pieces are well coated. Shake off any excess batter and deep fry the coated chicken pieces for approximately 8 - 10 minutes (ensure the chicken is cooked all the way through).

             **I do not have a deep fat fryer so I deep fry the chicken in a wok. If you are going to do this then make sure you have a deep enough wok or big enough saucepan. Heat oil in the wok (enough oil to completely submerge the chicken) and place the chicken pieces in one at a time (I have to do this in 2 separate batches and keep the first batch warm in the oven while I fry the second batch). PLEASE be very careful if frying in this manner. If the oil is heated too highly then it may ignite. It is best to have a fire blanket or damp cloth (damp NOT wet, large enough to cover the wok / saucepan) at the ready, just in case!**

Cover a plate with kitchen towel (paper towel) and transfer the chicken onto it.

Remove all but approximately 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok. Fry the chopped garlic for approximately 2 minutes. Add the spring onion and stir fry for a further 1 minute. Add the sauce and bring to a near boil stirring continuously. Add the crispy battered chicken and stir to evenly coat the chicken in the sauce.

Serve:

Ensure the Sweet and Sour Chicken is piping hot. Serve with boiled / fried rice or noodles.