Spicy Szechuan Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 pound / 450 grams chicken breast fillet (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons / 20 grams cornflour / cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil (for frying)
• 1 cup white cabbage (finely sliced)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup carrots (cut into batons)
• 1/2 cup chopped green beans
• 1 cup button mushrooms
• 1 small yellow pepper (deseeded and cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 mediuim onion (quartered and separated into petals)
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic (fresh garlic cloves or use from a jar)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed ginger (fresh or from a jar)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed Szechuan peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (more or less to your own taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon 5-spice powder
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar OR balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons cornflour / cornstarch
• 2 cups chicken stock (if you don't have stock, use 2 stock cubes dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water.)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparation ---

2. 2

   Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces

3. 3

   Whisk the soy sauce, cornflour and salt in a bowl to remove any lumps.

4. 4

   Add the chicken and mix to coat thoroughly. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes to marinate. Once marinated, drain the chicken through a colander, reserving the marinade. This will be used to thicken the sauce later.

5. 5

   Peel, shred and slice the vegetables. Try to keep the vegetables to a consistent size so they all cook at the same time.

6. 6

   Combine all the sauce ingredients in a jug. Let the chicken stock cool before adding the cornflour or you will end up with lumps.

7. 7

   --- Fry the chicken ---

8. 8

   Heat the sunflower oil in a pan, and when hot, add the chicken and fry over moderate to high heat, stirring continuously, until the chicken is browned on all sides and white on the inside. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

9. 9

   Cooked chicken will have an internal temperature of 74°C or 165°F.

10. 10

    --- Vegetables and sauce ---

11. 11

    Add an additional splash of oil to the pan if necessary and add the yellow pepper, onion petals, mushrooms, ginger and garlic. Continue to stir-fry on moderate heat until the onions turn translucent. This will take 4 to 5 minutes.

12. 12

    Add the carrots, beans and cabbage and stirfry for another minute until they are well coated with the oil.

13. 13

    Pour in the prepared sauce and any reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to simmer and leave to steam for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are almost soft.

14. 14

    Stir in the broccoli. Cover the pan and cook for another 2 minutes until the broccoli starts to soften.

15. 15

    Add the chicken back to the pan and allow it to heat through. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

16. 16

    Serve on a bed of noodles or white rice.