Mandarin Chicken
Crispy double-fried chicken tossed in a glossy mandarin sauce with garlic, ginger and a hit of fish sauce - this is a boldly flavoured dish that comes together faster than you'd expect.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Chicken
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600–700g boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
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2 tbsp water
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1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
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½ tsp salt
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½ tsp white pepper
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1 egg white
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1 cup cornstarch
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½ cup plain flour
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Neutral oil, for deep frying
Sauce
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2 mandarins, peeled with most pith removed
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3 cloves garlic
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1 inch fresh ginger
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¼ cup sugar
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¼ cup white vinegar
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1 tbsp soy sauce
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1 tbsp fish sauce
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½ tsp salt
To Serve
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Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
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Sliced spring onions, to serve
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Sliced chillies, to serve
Method:
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Combine the chicken, water, Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper and egg white in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and flour and toss until evenly coated.
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Heat neutral oil in a deep saucepan or wok to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Fry the chicken in batches until lightly golden. Remove and rest for 2–3 minutes.
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Increase the oil temperature to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and fry the chicken again until deeply golden and crisp.
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Blend the mandarins, garlic, ginger, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce and salt until smooth. Pour into a pan over medium heat and simmer until glossy and slightly thickened.
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Toss the fried chicken through the sauce until evenly coated. Scatter over sesame seeds, spring onions and chillies. Serve immediately.
