STICKY CHICKEN AND JEWELLED RICE
When all you want is a light chicken dish with lots of flavour, try this one.
CHICKEN
1½kg deboned chicken thighs or breasts
3 Tbls sesame oil
3 Tbls vegetable oil
2 red onions, cut into eighths with leaves separated
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
250g mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp crushed garlic
5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
SAUCE
¾ cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 Tbls rice vinegar
1 red chilli, chopped (hot)
3 Tbls brown sugar
2 chicken stock cubes, crumbled
3 tsp cornflour
¾ cup cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
TOPPINGS
Sesame seeds
Green spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally
JEWELLED RICE
2 cups rice (basmati recommended)
1 cup ready-made crispy fried onions
½ cup pomegranate seeds
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C. Fry the chicken on medium-to-high heat in a little vegetable oil to just brown the outside. Remove from the pan and set aside. To the same pan, add the sesame oil and fry the peppers and onions for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic and ginger and continue to fry for another minute. Place the tomato sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, chilli, sugar, chicken stock, cornflour, and cold water in a medium jug and mix well. Pour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Pour over the chicken and bake covered for 45 min at 180°C. Place the rice on a large serving platter followed by chicken and drizzle with some of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with spring onions and sesame seeds.
JEWELLED RICE
Cook two cups of basmati rice as per the instructions on the packet. When cooked, fold in pomegranate seeds and ready-made crispy fried onions.
104 JEWISH LIFE ■ ISSUE 175
