Dragon Chicken (Indo-Chinese Restaurant Style)

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

15 (20 grams) Kashmiri dried red chilies (or byadgi or mathania)

¼ cup water ( to blend (+ ½ cup boiling hot water to soak)

250 grams (10 ounces) boneless chicken ( (preferably breast)

½ tablespoon (8 grams) garlic ( (grated or use 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste)

½ tablespoon (6 grams) ginger ( (grated)

1 teaspoon red chili paste (or use ½ tsp white/black pepper, read notes)

1 teaspoon vinegar ( (rice or apple vinegar, read notes)

1 teaspoon soya sauce ( (organic or naturally brewed or use tamari)

⅛ teaspoon sea salt (or as needed)

1 small egg white (use only 2 tbsps.)

4 tablespoons (40 grams) organic cornstarch or rice flour

2 tablespoon (20 grams) organic all-purpose flour ( (or unbleached, may use wheat flour)

¾ cup high smoke point oil (or more to deep fry)

2 to 3 tablespoons red chili paste ( (adjust to taste, I use entire prepared chili paste)

1 tablespoon soya sauce (organic or naturally brewed or use tamari)

2½ tablespoons (45ml/ 50 grams) Maggi tomato sauce ( (or 1½ tbsp ketchup, adjust to taste, can vary depending on brand)

1 to 2 teaspoons vinegar ( (rice or apple cider, adjust to taste)

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar ( (or maple syrup, adjust to taste)

¼ cup hot water (to cook the sauce)

2 teaspoons cornstarch ( dissolved in ⅓ cup water (optional, use for a saucy version)

2 tablespoons oil (may use fried oil)

¼ to ½ cup roasted unsalted cashews ( (40 to 80 g)

2 dried red chilies (broken & deseeded partially)

½ cup (60 grams, 1 small) onion (thinly sliced or diced)

1 tablespoon (7 grams, 3 cloves) garlic (sliced)

1 tablespoon (½ inch, 5 g) ginger (chopped)

1 teaspoon tender coriander stems (fine chopped)

½ cup (60 grams) bell pepper (capsicum, sliced, any color)

1 (20 grams) spring onion (/scallions chopped, white & greens separated)

Directions

Deseed dried chilies and soak in boiling hot water, for about 15 to 20 mins. Drain the water and add them to a grinder. Blend with fresh water to a smooth paste. This makes 4 tablespoons chili paste.

Cut chicken to thin stirps of ½ inch by 2 to 3 inch and add to a mixing bowl.

Add salt, ginger garlic paste, soya sauce, black pepper or chili paste, vinegar (omit to use sambal oelek). Mix well and cover. Rest for 20 mins while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a small bowl, stir soya sauce, maggi tomato sauce, sugar, red chili paste, vinegar (omit to use sambal oelek). Taste test to adjust salt and vinegar to your preference. Optionally for a slightly saucy version - In another small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water.

Make the sauce

On a medium high flame, heat oil in a wok to temper. Add red chills, white scallions, ginger, garlic, onions, coriander stems and bell peppers. Stir fry on a high heat for 2 to 3 mins.

Stir in the prepared dragon sauce and hot water. Let cook on a medium high heat until thick and glossy.

Optional - Pour the cornstarch slurry (make sure you mix it first with a spoon). Bring to a boil and let simmer for a minute, until thick and bubbling.

Taste test and adjust sauce to taste. It should be prominently hot, with a slight hint of soya and faintly sour (from tomato sauce). Turn off and keep it warm.

Fry the chicken

When you are ready to fry, on a medium flame heat oil in a deep pan.

Stir in the egg white and coat the chicken well. Mix together both the flour and cornstarch. Sprinkle evenly over the chicken and coat it well. If it is too dry, add a splash of water or egg. But avoid making the batter runny.

Test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of batter to the hot oil. It should sizzle and rise to the surface without turning too brown.

Gently slide the chicken pieces one by one to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry without disturbing them for 2 mins. Stir and fry further for another minute, until they turn evenly golden and crisp.

Remove to a wired rack or a steel colander and fry the remaining marinated chicken in batches. Optionally, flash fry (refry) the chicken on a medium high heat just for a minute or 2. Overdoing can make the chicken chewy.

Cool down slightly for 1 to 2 mins.

Assemble Dragon Chicken

Add the fried chicken and roasted cashews. Mix to coat with the dragon sauce. Garnish with spring onion greens.

Serve immediately as an appetizer/ snack or side with fried rice or noodles or soup.

Nutrition

• Calories: 360 kcal
• Total Fat: 23 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg
• Sodium: 566 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 22 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 17 g