Chicken Manchurian

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Chicken Manchurian served with egg fried rice

Over the past few years the fusion of Chinese and Indian food has become very popular in homes and restaurants. Chicken Manchurian is one of the favoured dishes within the indo-Chinese category, the combination of  sweet and sour mixed with the fiery chilies makes this dish a delight on the palate.

NOTE: Normally this dish uses Ajinamoto. Ajino is also known as MSG- Mono sodium glutamate, basically a type of salt used to enhance the flavour of dishes, and if used regularly can be harmful to your health. Ajinomoto is actually a food and chemical cooperation. Hmmmm, chemical??!! I don't know about you, but something that is made by a chemical cooperation should ring some alarm bells! Secondly, as for enhancing flavour, I can tell you now there is no trace of this substance in this recipe and its was still flavourful. So I would definitely keep this product out of your kitchen cupboards.

Anyway here is my recipe for Chicken Manchurian, Ajinamoto free!!! :)


Ingredients

3lb boneless chicken
2 cups of ketchup
2 large eggs
2 cups cornflour/starch
3 green bell peppers cut into inch pieces chunks
2 onions cut into inch piece chunk and race layer separated (see picture below)
4 tbsn vinegar
4 tbsn dark soy sauce
4 tbsn Worcestershire sauce
2 tspn Chilli powder
3 small green chilies
small bunch of spring onions to serve
2tspn garam masala
2 tspn salt
2 tspn black pepper
1 tbsn sugar
One whole garlic bulb all crushed
2 inch piece of ginger grated or julienned.
5 Cups of warm water


Method

1. Place chicken in large bowl, add black pepper, salt, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.

2. Add cornflour and eggs and mix till well combined. Leave to marinate for at least half hour.

3. Heat a pan of oil for deep frying (if you have a deep fat fryer this would be better ) Only add chicken pieces one by one, if you add more than one at a time the pieces will stick together. Fry till golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen towel.

4. For the sauce heat oil on pan and add garlic and ginger till lightly brown and releasing smell. Add green chilies.

5. Add ketchup and mix well, cook for 2 minutes. In a small plate make a slurry mixing the vinegar with the chili powder and garam masala, mix well and add to ketchup, stir and add sugar. Now cook for at least five mins till sauce become thicker and of sticky consistency. Now add 5 cups of warm water, cook till it comes to a boil.

6. Now add the chicken to the sauce, stir well, then add the onions and bell peppers, cook for a few minutes and add water. Bring to the boil and then simmer till sauce reaches desired consistency. Bell peppers and onions must remain crunchy, do not over cook.

 7. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve with egg fried rice.

Enjoy!