Chicken Manchurian

Chicken Manchurian is an Indian dish that is a delicious hybrid of Indian and Chinese cuisine. It's a bit like a sweet and sour chicken, but with more oomph. Marinated boneless pieces of chicken are deep fried and then cooked in a tangy ginger-garlic sauce and garnished with lashings of spring onions. It is so good, and a definite must-try. The deep-frying of the chicken can even be simplified by doing it in a wok; you'll only need the oil to be a few centimetres deep to achieve a nice golden fry.

If you've never tried an Indo-Chinese dish before then I definitely urge you to try this, it has a wonderfully different and satisfying taste. It's also a good dish for people who don't like chilli as it's still an amazingly tasty dish even if you omit it.

CHICKEN MANCHURIAN

Ingredients:

400g boneless chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

Marinade Ingredients:
1 tsp soy sauce
1 egg-white
3 Tablespoons cornflour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon water

Other Ingredients:
Oil, also needed for deep frying
Couple of spring onions, chopped
1 green capsicum, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic (at least!, feel free to add more)
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato sauce or ketchup
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon cornflour
1/2 cup water (you can also use chicken stock, but I find plain water is fine)

Method:

In a bowl mix together the chicken pieces and the marinade ingredients (see above). Pop it in fridge to sit for about an hour.

When ready, deep fry the chicken for just a few minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or other suitable cooking vessel. Add the chopped spring onions (reserve some for garnish), capsicum, chilli, garlic and ginger. Fry for a few minutes. Add the soy sauce, tomato sauce and vinegar. Mix well. Add 2 cups water then bring the mixture to the boil. Now add  the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix together the tablespoon of  cornflour with 1/2 cup of water, then slowly add to wok while stirring. Cook for just a couple of minutes then serve. Garnish with the reserved spring onions. Great served with rice.