Chinese Orange Chicken

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

Mix chicken with soy, ginger, pepper and 2 tbsp cornflour, then coat in remaining cornflour. Clench few pieces in fist, shake off excess cornflour in colander. Shallow-fry until deep golden. Remove oil, sauté garlic, simmer sauce 2 min until thickened. Add zest, toss chicken, serve!

FULL RECIPE

Orange sauce - Whisk the cornflour and soy sauce in a large jug or medium bowl until lump free. Then whisk in everything else except garlic and orange zest. Set aside.

Coat chicken - Mix the chicken pieces with the soy sauce, ginger, pepper and the 2 tablespoons of cornflour in a large bowl. Mix well - the coating becomes a bit sticky and acts as a glue. Add the 3/4 cup cornflour and toss to coat each piece, separating as needed (they stick together a bit).

Press and shake off - Pick up a few pieces and enclose in your fist, to really press the cornflour on. Place in a colander, then repeat with remaining chicken. Shake colander so excess cornflour falls through the holes. This press-and-shake method is highly effective crispy no-fry technique! (Note 3)

Shallow-fry until crispy - Heat the oil on high heat in a large deep non-stick pan (mine is 30cm/12"). The chicken should sizzle straight away when you dip it. Spread half the chicken out (or as much as you can, without crowding), and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, using tongs to turn, until deep golden and crispy. Remove onto a paper towel lined tray and repeat with remaining chicken.

Orange sauce:

Sauté - Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the oil, and scrape out any loose crispy bits. Return the pan to medium high heat. Sauté garlic until light golden, about 20 - 30 seconds.

Thicken sauce - Give the sauce a whisk (to mix cornflour settled on the base) then pour it in the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens into a thick, glossy syrup (honey consistency). Stir in zest.

Toss - Put the chicken back into the pan and toss quickly to coat in the sauce. Serve over rice, garnished with green onion.