Sweet & sour chicken

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Source

Ingredients

sunflower or vegetable oil , for frying

100ml soda water , chilled

140g self-raising flour

25g cornflour

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts , cut into chunks

spring onions , finely shredded, to serve

1 red pepper , deseeded and chopped into chunks

3 red chillies , 1 cut into chunks, 2 halved and deseeded

425g can pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved

4 star anise

50g tamarind paste

100g caster sugar

100ml rice wine vinegar or Chinese vinegar

Method

For the sauce, put the red pepper, chunks of chilli and pineapple juice in a pan and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 10 mins, then purée in a food processor. Return to the pan with the pineapple chunks, chilli halves, star anise, tamarind, sugar and vinegar. Gently simmer for 20-30 mins until reduced and sticky. Keep warm, or reheat to serve.

Fill a large pan 1cm deep with oil and heat until shimmering. Whisk the soda water and 100ml cold water into the self-raising flour with a little salt. Tip the cornflour onto a plate, line a tray with kitchen paper and turn on the oven to low.

Stir the batter well. Dust the chicken with cornflour, then dip into the batter. One at a time, lower into the hot oil (about 5-6 every batch). Turn up the heat to keep the chicken frying, if needed, and cook for 5-6 mins, turning once. When cooked, drain on the tray, and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Stack onto a plate with the warm sauce on the side, and scatter with shredded spring onions.