Name: Chinese Orange Chicken
Ingredients: Zest of 2 oranges; 1kg (2 lbs) chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized pieces; 1 cup plain (all purpose) flour; ½ cup cornflour (corn starch); 1 tsp salt; 125ml (½ cup) water; 75ml (1/3 cup) Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry; 1 egg; 6 spring onions (scallions); Rapeseed (canola) oil for deep frying; FOR THE SAUCE; 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) or peanut oil; 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) ginger, finely chopped; 4 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped; 1 tbsp dried chilli flakes (optional); 70ml (1/4 cup) orange juice; 70ml (1/4 cup) distilled white vinegar; 70ml (1/4 cup) water or unsalted chicken stock plus 2 tbsp; 2 – 3 tbsp light soy sauce, to taste; ½ cup sugar; 1 tsp MSG (optional); 2 tbsp cornflour (corn starch); 2 tbsp sesame oil

Ingredients

Zest of 2 oranges
1kg (2 lbs) chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup plain (all purpose) flour
½ cup cornflour (corn starch)
1 tsp salt
125ml (½ cup) water
75ml (1/3 cup) Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
1 egg
6 spring onions (scallions)
Rapeseed (canola) oil for deep frying
FOR THE SAUCE
2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) or peanut oil
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) ginger, finely chopped
4 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
70ml (1/4 cup) orange juice
70ml (1/4 cup) distilled white vinegar
70ml (1/4 cup) water or unsalted chicken stock plus 2 tbsp
2 – 3 tbsp light soy sauce, to taste
½ cup sugar
1 tsp MSG (optional)
2 tbsp cornflour (corn starch)
2 tbsp sesame oil

Steps

Zest the oranges and then cut them into wedges. Set the orange wedges aside for later.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the orange zest, flour, cornflour (corn starch), salt, water, the Chinese cooking wine and egg until smooth. This batter should be quite thick and creamy like American pancake batter. Stir in the chicken pieces. The thick batter will literally coat the chicken when added.
Now heat the oil for deep fat frying in a wok. You’re aiming for a cooking temperature of 190C/275F. If you don’t have an oil thermometer, you can test the oil heat by placing a wooden chopstick or spatula in the oil. When thousands of little bubbles form on contact, your oil is ready for frying.
Carefully lower the pieces of battered chicken into the oil. You should do this in small batches to retain the cooking heat. Fry for about 5 minutes or until the chicken Is crispy and golden brown in colour. Transfer to a wire rack to drip any excess oil.
Discard all but about 2 tbsp of the oil. Place your wok back over a high heat and stir in the chopped garlic, ginger and spring onions (scallions) and dried chilli flakes, if using. Fry for about 30 seconds and then pour in the orange juice, vinegar, 70ml (1/4 cup) water or stock, soy sauce and sugar. If using MSG, stir it in now too.
Bring to a simmer. Make a slurry by mixing the remaining water or stock and pour it into the simmering stock to thicken some. Adding the slurry will not only thicken but give the sauce a glossy appearance.
Stir the fried chicken pieces and orange wedges into the sauce so that each piece is nicely coated. Drizzle with the sesame oil and serve garnished with the chopped spring onions (scallions).