Chicken Manchurian

General

• Time: 45 minutes
• Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1egg
• 4tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1teaspoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
• 1teaspoon black pepper
• Fine sea salt
• 1½pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• ⅓cup vegetable oil
• 3whole dried dundicut chiles or bird’s-eye chiles
• ½cup ketchup
• ¼cup chile-garlic sauce
• 2tablespoons light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
• 1cup chicken stock (optional)
• 1bell pepper, halved, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 3spring onions or 1 medium scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
• Cooked white rice or fried rice, for serving

Preparation

1. Velvet the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Continue whisking and gradually add 4 tablespoons of corn starch until there are no lumps. Stir in garlic, black pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the chicken pieces and stir until well coated. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. In a large wok or deep, high-sided skillet, heat oil on medium for 45 seconds. Add chicken (in batches, if necessary to avoid crowding) and cook until it starts turning white, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pieces and continue cooking until the chicken starts to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and set aside.
3. Add dried chiles and cook on medium for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together ketchup, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and, if using, chicken stock (if not using chicken stock, stir in 1 cup water). Add to mixture in pan along with bell pepper and stir to combine.
5. Separately, mix the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch with ¼ cup water until smooth. Stir it into the wok and simmer until the sauce thickens and starts to turn glossy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken and stir to combine. Top with spring onions. Serve with rice.