CRISPY HONEY CHICKEN

600 g chicken breast, cut into roughly 3 cm cubes
½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ cups plain cake flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 extra tablespoon
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Marinade:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxing wine
1 egg white, lightly whisked

In a large bowl, place chicken and marinade ingredients. Mix thoroughly to break up the egg white. Allow to marinate for 10 – 20 minutes. In another bowl, mix together the chicken stock, Shaoxing wine, vinegar, honey, soy sauce and sugar.
Place the flour in a large tray or bowl. Add the chicken pieces and the marinade and use your hands to pat and press the liquid and flour together around the chicken pieces to form a craggy coating.
Fill a wok or saucepan to about ⅓ capacity with the vegetable oil. Heat over high heat. The oil is hot enough for frying when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms small little bubbles. Shake excess flour from the chicken pieces. Cook chicken pieces in 2 to 3 batches for about 3 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

In a clean wok or pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the garlic. Cook for about 10 seconds or until fragrant. Then add the chicken stock mixture. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid starts to foam. Then add the cornstarch mixture. Cook for another 1 – 2 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds. I served with a quick egg fried rice (using the leftover yolk)

Egg Fried Rice
2 – 3 cups leftover cooked rice
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided
1 heaped teaspoon oyster sauce
spring onion for garnish

Heat large pan/wok with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the egg and swirl to coat the pan to form a pancake. When one side is cooked flip and cook other side. Remove and set aside.
Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil and add frozen vegetables. Stir and break up vegetables and cook till water evaporates. Add half the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add half the rice and stir till combined. Add remainder of the rice, combine.
Take the egg ‘pancake’ and roll up and slice into ribbons. Add to rice and mix through. Add the remaining soy sauce and sesame oil and mix everything well.
Either garnish with spring onion or mix it through the rice (I did).

Recipe and Photo: Melanie Kramar