CHILI CHICKEN
Fried rice and chili chicken were exclusive guest food at our house when I was a kid. If we smelled chili chicken, we knew that we were expecting guests in the house. Fried rice and chili chicken combo were the most famous Chinese food, at least during the '90s. My mom's chili chicken was famous in my class. My friends used to call it "red chicken" .This is the basic recipe. Soya sauce, is the only chinese ingredient used. I don't remember seeing any capsicum(bell pepper) in the dish in those days. This dish is very close to my heart. It tasted even better the next day when we ate this for lunch in school.
INGREDIENTS
- 500 gms. chicken breast cut into small pieces
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp maida
- 2 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 750 gms. onion chopped, finely
- 8 green chilies, seeds removed
- 2 whole garlic, cloves finely chopped
- 6 Tbsp. soya sauce
- 2 Tbsp. vinegar
- oil for frying(about 3/4 th cup)
- 2 Tbsp. cornflour dissolved in 1/4 cup water
- salt to taste
METHOD
- Marinate the chicken with eggs, maida, chili powder, and salt. Keep aside for at least 1/2 an hour.
- Heat oil in a wok and fry the chicken. Turning over in between. Drain onto a napkin paper.
- Heat a big (wok)cheena chatti , when warm, add sufficient oil(about 6 Tbsp) from frying the chicken . When the oil is hot, saute the onions until translucent. Then, add the green chilies and chopped garlic. Sauté on high heat till the onions are cooked. Add a little water now and then so that the onions soften a little. Add only a tad bit of salt. Remember, we are adding soya sauce later.
- Add soya sauce to this. Saute a bit more, add vinegar, saute and then add cornflour mixed with water slurry.
- Let the gravy thicken a little and then add the fried chicken.
- Mix it all together in the cheena chatti. Check for salt and serve with fried rice or Vegetable Noodles.
NOTES
- My mother adds chili sauce to the gravy.
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