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Indo-Chinese chicken
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 500g skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm cubes
- rapeseed oil, for deep-frying
For the marinade
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2tsp baking powder
- 1tsp black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 2tsp cornflour
For the coating
- 4 heaped tbsp cornflour
- 4 heaped tbsp plain flour
- 1/2tsp salt
For the gravy
- 3tbsp rapeseed oil
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 bird’s eye chillies, slit lengthways
- 2 red onions, halved, then each half quartered to make chunky square pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and coarsely chopped
- 2tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2tbsp light soy sauce
- 3tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- coriander leaves (optional), to serve
Method
First, make the marinade. Put the onion, ginger and garlic in a blender, add 2tbsp water and blend to a thick, semi-smooth paste. Transfer to a large bowl and add the remaining marinade ingredients along with the chicken. Mix well, ensuring all the ingredients coat the chicken, then cover and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours, and ideally overnight.
Once marinated, bring the chicken to room temperature for 40 minutes. Combine the coating ingredients on a plate, mix well and set aside.
In a karahi or wok, heat enough oil for deep-frying. Meanwhile, take a piece of chicken out of the marinade and place it in the coating mixture. Press quite firmly to coat thinly and evenly – too much flour on each piece will make the gravy too thick. Transfer to a plate and repeat until all the chicken pieces are coated.
When the oil is hot, carefully lower a few pieces of chicken at a time into the oil and fry for around 3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate and repeat with all the remaining pieces.
In a separate pan, make the gravy. Heat the oil over a medium heat, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, taking care not to burn it. Add the chillies and onions and continue to stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the peppers, increase the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes. Add all the sauces, mix well and cook for 1 minute, then add the fried chicken pieces. Gently stir to ensure the chicken pieces are well coated with the gravy, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Garnish the chilli chicken with the coriander leaves, if using, and serve immediately.
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