Delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken!

Happy Friday!

Yes, it's the weekend again. That came very soon. This Sunday is Mother's Day and for some reason, my Mum was on my thoughts all day and I happened to think about a dish we ate a lot when I was growing up. It was sweet and sour chicken! One of the favorite variations was sweet & sour trotters. Both were delicious.
Today I want to share with you the recipe of sweet & sour chicken. A quote comes to mind, ''There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a women making dinner for someone she loves.'' -- Thomas Wolfe.

Sweet and sour chicken.

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
for the sauce:
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

Instructions:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Have an awesome day and keep smiling.

Love & Peace.