Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken is a very popular dish and there are several different ways to make it. In this recipe, black rice vinegar heightens the tartness of the sauce. Here is another recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken with lemon.

Makes 3 - 4 servings of sweet and sour chicken, or 4 - 6 as part of a meal


Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts3/4 cup baby carrots1 cucumber1/2 red bell pepper1 garlic cloveMarinade:2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry1 tsp cornstarchBatter:1 - 2 eggs, lightly beaten3 TB potato starch*Sauce**:4 1/2 TB rice vinegar1 1/2 TB black rice vinegar3/4 cup water3 TB tomato paste4 1/2 TB brown sugar 3/8 tsp chile sauce, or to taste1 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 6 teaspoons water
3 1/4 cups oil for deep-frying and stir-frying


Directions:


Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Marinate in the rice wine or sherry and cornstarch for 30 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vegetables: mince the garlic clove, peel and cut the cucumber into thin slices, and cut the red pepper into cubes. Chop the baby carrots. Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch the carrots briefly in the boiling water. Drain thoroughly.In a small saucepan, add the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and keep warm.To deep-fry the chicken: Preheat 3 cups of oil to 350 - 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While waiting for the oil to heat, brush the chicken cubes with the beaten egg and dip in the potato starch to cover. Deep-fry the dredged chicken pieces in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the wok. Deep-fry for 3 - 4 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown. Drain on paper towels.To deep-fry the chicken a second time if desired: bring the oil temperature up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Deep-fry the chicken in batches, very briefly for less than a minute, until the chicken turns brown. Drain on paper towels.Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. When oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the carrots. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then add the red peppers. Add the cucumber or save to use as a garnish. Bring the sauce back up to a boil and add to the wok, mixing with the vegetables. Add the chicken. Heat through and serve over rice. Garnish with the cucumber if desired.*Cornstarch can be substituted for the potato starch**This recipe is designed to make extra sauce for mixing in with the rice. It can easily be adjusted either up or down depending on how much sauce you want - just be sure to keep the proportions constant. For 3/4 lb of chicken, reduce quantities by 1/3 - ie. use 3 TB rice vinegar, 1 TB black rice vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 TB tomato paste, etc.
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Palak Paneer

Ingredients:
Ghee or Oil for deep frying2 tbsp Ghee or Oil400g/14oz Paneer1 Onion, finely chopped2.5cm/1 inch Fresh Ginger, finely chopped4 Garlic Cloves, crushed1 teasp Cumin Powder1/2 teasp Coriander Powder1/4 teas Turmeric Powder1 teasp Chilli Powder60ml/2fl.oz. Sour Cream450g/1lb Fresh Spinach, finely choppedsalt to taste
Method:
Heat the ghee or oil until hot then fry the paneer until golden brown. Drain well then cut it into 12mm/1/2 inch squares and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a saucepan, add the onions and fry for 8-10 minutes until light brown, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 3 minutes, adding little water if the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pan. Add the chili powder, salt, cumin, coriander and turmeric powder and fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring from time to time and adding a little more water to prevent it drying out and sticking. Add the sour cream and spinach, mix well, cover and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add the cheese, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve hot with boiled rice or a flatbread such as roti, paratha or naan.
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Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients:
4 Dried Chinese Mushrooms16 ounces of Chinese Bean Curd (well drained)1/2 cup of Bamboo Shoots (canned & drained)4 cups of Chinese Chicken Stock1 tsp. of Salt1 tbsp. of Soy Sauce1/4 tsp. of White Pepper2 tbsp. of Rice Wine Vinegar2 tbsp. of Corn Starch (mixed with 3 tbsp. of water)1 Egg (beaten)2 tsp. of Sesame Seed Oil1 Green Onion (sliced)

Method:

Cover the mushrooms in a small bowl with warm water. Let them soak for 30 minutes to soften. Strain mushroom liquid and reserve. Cut the mushrooms into 1/4-inch slices; set aside. Slice bean curd and bamboo shoots into 1/4inch slices and set aside. Place the chicken stock in a large pot. Add the salt, soy sauce, mushroom liquid, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and ground pork. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer soup for 3 minutes. Add the white pepper, vinegar, and bean curd. Return soup to a boil. Give the cornstarch mixture a stir, then add to soup, followed by the beaten egg, while stirring gently. Remove from heat. Add the sesame oil and sprinkle soup with green onions to serve.
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Zinger Burger

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breasts (boneless, with skin) Lettuce 1/2 tsp. of White Pepper 1/2 tsp. of Salt 1/2 tsp. of Aginomoto Salt 1/2 tsp. of Mustard Paste Mayonnaise Cooking Oil (for deep frying)
Ingredients for btter
3 tbsp. of Refined Flour (Maida) 1 tbsp. of Corn Flour (Makai Ka Aata) 1/2 tsp. of Baking Powder (Soda) 1 Egg 1 tbsp. of Milk

Method:

1) Mix all of the batter ingredients together and make a batter and set aside.2) Marinate the chicken breasts with: aginomoto salt, white pepper and mustard paste. Let it marinate for 1/2 hour.3) Dip the chicken breasts in the prepared batter and deep fry in oil until well done.4 Take bun apart and spread mayonnaise on the buns. Put a leaf of lettuce and fried chicken breast in bun and close bun and serve.
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Fish Curry

Ingredients:
Fish 1 kg. Red chili powder 2 tsps. Turmeric powder 2 tsps. Ginger powder 2 tsp. Fennel powder 3 tsps. Cloves 5 nos. Pepper 6 nos. Black cumin ½ tsp. Vari masala 1 piece. Garlic 4 cloves Water 4 cups Mustard oil 250 ml Salt 2 tsps.
Method:
Clean, wash and cut the fish into medium pieces. Rub salt and turmeric powder on the pieces and keep aside. Heat oil in a kadhai, when sizzling hot fry the fish pieces till brown in colour. Take 4 cups of water in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently put the still warm fried fish pieces into it. Add the turmeric powder, salt, ginger and fennel powders, cloves, pepper, crushed garlic and place the red chili powder right on top. Quickly heat 6 tbsps of oil and pour. Cook on a high heat till the gravy becomes thick and the fish pieces become soft. Before removing from the heat sprinkle the crushed vari and cumin. Serve hot.
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Hunter Beef

Ingredients:
2 kg Beef "Roast cut" bread shape one piece.2 tsp. Crystallized salt petre "Kulmi shora"3 tsp. Black pepper2" stick of Cinnamon2 tsp. brown sugar4 Black Cardamom3 tbs. Lemon juice

Method:

Wash the meat thoroughly and dry with kitchen towel. Ground all the spices. Add all spices in the lemon juice to make paste. Rub the paste thoroughly on the meat. Place it in a glass or stainless steel container and cover it. Place the bowl in the fridge for one day. Next day get the meat out of fridge and sort of massage the meat to absorb the paste, it is important that at least half an hour is spent in rubbing the meat. Once again put the meat loaf back in the fridge. Repeat the same process each day for six days. On Sixth day remove the meat loaf from the fridge and tie it with a strong string. Place the meat in a large pot and put 2 cups water in the pot NOT on the meat loaf. Cook it over low heat for 2 to 3 hours or until the water is absorbed. Hunter Beef is a very popular snack from Pakistan. We have it in the cold winter evenings with Kashmir tea or coffee. Some people like to fry stripes of hunter beef and then serve with tea or coffee. Left over can be kept in the fridge for few days and can also be stored in freezer for longer period of storage.
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