Pineapple and lychee chicken (Chinese cooking for Australians)

 

For 4 servings

• 500 gr chicken pieces
• 15 ml poultry marinade (recipe below)
• 2 egg whites
• 180 ml cornflour
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 rings canned pineapple
• 12 canned lychees
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• Deep-fry oil

Sauce

• 60 ml water
• 5 ml chicken stock powder
• 60 ml pineapple juice
• 30 ml Hoisin sauce
• 2 ml white vinegar
• 5 ml sugar
• Salt
• 10 ml cornflour

Preparation

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with marinade ; leave 20 minutes.
2. Mix egg whites with cornflour, adding a little cold water, if needed, to make a thickish batter.
3. Dice pineapple, drain lychees.
4. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Cooking

1. Heat deep oil to very hot, then reduce heat slightly.
2. Coat chicken pieces with the batter and place one by one in the hot oil ; fry to a deep golden brown, then remove and drain well.
3. Pour off all but 45 ml oil and stir-fry garlic and shallots for 1 minute ; pour in the sauce and bring to the boil.
4. Add chicken, pineapple and lychees and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes clearer.
5. Spoon in a serving dish and garnish with parsley or mint.

Poultry marinade

• 45 ml vegetable oil
• 45 ml dry sherry
• 5 ml salt
• 15 ml sugar
• 2 ml white pepper
• 4 slices fresh ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced

1. Measure ingredients into a screw-top jar ; shake well and keep refrigerated until needed.

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