Ingredients :::
1/2 kg or 1lb boneless chicken breasts,
1 big green bell pepper / capcicum, cut into 1 inch diagonally,
1 big onion, cut into 1 inch diagonally,
4-5 nos green chillies, slit lengthwise,
2 cloves garlic finely chopped,
1 no. whole dry red chilli,
2 tsp soy sauce,
1 tsp chilli garlic sauce,
1 tsp white rice vinegar / white wine,
salt as per your taste,
1/2 tsp ajinomoto (optional),
half cup finely chopped spring onions,
1 tsp tomato sauce,
oil to fry.
for marination:::
1 cup all purpose flour,
1/4 cup cornflour,
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,
1 tsp green chilli paste,
1 tsp red chilli powder,
1/3 tsp salt
Method:::
1. Wash and cut the chicken pieces into half inch cubes and pat dry.
2. In big mixing bowl,take all ingredients for marination and mix nicely with blender or hand for 4-5mins. Now add water slowly and prepare a nice smooth thick batter. Keep for 5mins.
3. Add all the chicken pieces into the batter and keep marinated for one hour.
4. Heat sufficient oil in a frying pan, deep fry battered chicken pieces 4-5 nos. at a time. Strain extra oil and keep on a paper napkin. Repeat the process for all chicken pieces.
5. Now heat 2 tsp oil in a skillet / kadai, add chopped garlic and dry red chilly and saute for one mins and then add diced onion,green chillies and bell peppers and fry for 3-4 mins or until onion becomes transparent. Now add soy sauce and chilly garlic sauce together and mix thoroughly on high flame. Stir continuously to avoid sticking at the bottom.
6. After mixing sauce , add vinegar / white wine and ajinomoto and then tomato sauce and mix thoroughly for 2-3 mins.
7. Adjust salt now and then add fried chicken pieces and slowly mix with the sauce to make a nice coat and cook for 4-5mins on high flame. When done, sprinkle finely chopped spring onions and serve hot.
If you need gravy then mix one cup corn flour with warm water nicely to avoid lumps and then add after mixing chicken pieces.
Szechuan Chicken ::::
Recipe I:
This Chinese preparation is such a delight that my husband and me just love to have it whenever we go to Chinese buffet. This dish has perfect balance of sweet and spicy taste and lots of vegetables. Szechuan chicken recipe gets its taste and flavor from the sauce Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce and also dry sherry or rice wine and all of them you can get it any Chinese or big supermarket. I surfed internet again and got this recipe from food network website and modified a little to prepare.
Ingredients:::
3 boneless & skinless chicken breasts,cut into 1" pieces,
2 no. eggs,
2 tsp cornflour or cornstarch,
2 tsp cooking wine,
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce,
1 tsp soy sauce,
2 tsp Tabasco sauce,
1/2 tsp red chilly powder or cayenne pepper powder,
2 nos. dry red chilly whole or crushed,
2 inch finely chopped ginger,
2 cloves finely chopped garlic,
2 nos. big carrots ,cut lengthwise thin,
one cup diced red and green bell peppers / capsicum,
1 no.small onion,diced,
half cup chopped spring onions,
oil to fry,
salt as per taste,
Method:
1. Wash and pat dry with paper napkin. Mix egg whites with corn flour and dip the chicken pieces into the mixture and keep aside for some time.
2.Take a big bowl,mix all the sauces nicely and then keep aside.
3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai /skillet, add finely chopped garlic and saute for one min and then add all the chicken pieces until cooked. Remove chicken pieces and place on paper napkin to absorb extra oil.
4. Heat 2 tsp oil in the same kadai / skillet, add bell peppers and carrots and saute for 3-4 mins. Now set aside all the vegetables in the skillet and add the sauce and let it boil nicely on high flame and add chicken pieces to the skillet.
5. Mix vegetables and chicken pieces with the sauce and stir continuously for 2-3 mins on high flame. When done sprinkle spring onions and serve hot with rice.
Be very careful while cooking on high flame as there is chance of sticking or burning. You can use other vegetables also like french beans and broccoli and dry fruits like, almonds and walnuts and then bamboo shoots too.
