Sweet and Sour Chicken (糖醋雞)

Sweet and Sour Chicken (糖醋雞)

Ingredients:

2 ½ to 3-pound broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of white pepper
2 tomatoes
1 green pepper

Vegetable oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup water
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup chicken broth
¾ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
1 can (8 ¼ ounces) pineapple chunks, drained

Directions:

Remove bones and skin from chicken; cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Mix egg, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and the white pepper in glass or plastic bowl; stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges. Cut green pepper into 1-inch pieces.

Heat vegetable oil (1 ½ inches) in wok to 350°. Mix flour, ½ cup water, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon salt and the baking soda. Stir chicken into batter until well coated. Fry about 15 pieces at a time until light brown, turning frequently, 3 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Increase oil temperature to 375°. Fry chicken all at one time until golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towel.

Heat sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and the garlic to boiling in 2-quart saucepan. Mix ¼ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup water; stir into sauce. Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, green pepper and pineapple. Heat to boiling; pour over chicken.

6 servings.

Do-ahead Directions:

After frying chicken 3 minutes, wrap, label and freeze no longer than 1 week. Prepare sauce as directed except – omit tomatoes and green pepper; freeze no longer than 1 week. Just before serving, prepare tomatoes and green pepper. Dip container of sauce into hot water to loosen. Place frozen block in saucepan. Cover tightly; heat, stirring occasionally, until thawed. Heat frozen chicken uncovered in 400° oven until hot, about 25 minutes. Stir tomatoes and green pepper into sauce. Heat to boiling; pour over chicken.

Source: Chin, Leann. Betty Crocker's Chinese Cookbook; 1981

Note that while this is a Betty Crocker cookbook, the author of the recipe is not Betty Crocker. It is a Chinese lady.