Ingredients

• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 tbsp grated ginger (or use dry powder)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• ¼ leek (white part)
• 1½ cups vegetable oil
• 2 red chilies
• 2 green chilies
• 1 shallot
• 4 garlic cloves
• 6 spring onions (scallion or green onion)
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• ¾ cup corn starch (corn flour)
• 1 egg white
• Pepper

Steps

• Step 1

  Slice the chicken breast thinly and marinate using 2 tbsp of soy sauce, generous amount of black cracked pepper, and the ginger. Mix well, refrigerate and leave aside.

• Step 2

  Wash the leek thoroughly, cut of the green ends, use the white only. Cut a four inch piece, Split in half and cut finely Julienne style.

• Step 3

  Add half a cup of vegetable oil to a frying pan on high heat, once moderately hot, add the leek Julienne and keep stirring over heat until nice and brown. Using a strainer, catch the oil into a heat proof container for later use and keep the leeks aside.

• Step 4

  Trim the chilies , split in half, remove the seeds and chop finely. Peel the shallot and slice finely. Remove the roots from spring onions and chop finely.

• Step 5

  For the sauce, add 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of water, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, mix until sugar is dissolved and leave aside.

• Step 6

  Remove the chicken from fridge, add the corn starch (flour), one egg white and mix well. You can use your hands if difficult.

• Step 7

  In a frying pan on high heat, pour in the vegetable oil, add the chicken pieces and fry until crispy brown, make sure they don’t stick together, if so, separate them as you turn them over. Strain the oil in a heat proof sieve and keep the oil for the next step.

• Step 8

  Wipe the frying pan, add the leek oil on high heat along with the chili, shallot, spring onion (keep a hand full for garnish) and minced garlic cloves. Sweat for two minutes then add the prepared sauce, bring to the boil and add your fried chicken, toss a few times and serve. Garnish with the fried leek and left over spring onion.

Little Tips

You can also fry some shallots and use as garnish with the leek for extra texture.

If you prefer a thicker sauce, add one tsp cornflour (cornstarch) in the sauce mix.

Be careful what chilies you use, some are hotter than others. If you like extra hot, leave the seeds in.