General Tsos ChickenPreparation time: 40 mins. | Serves 2-4 persons

General Tso’s Chicken is a famous recipe that is a combined effect of both American and Chinese cuisines. It is one of the most popular North American Chinese restaurant food. It consists of two parts of cooking; one is fried chicken and the other is a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce. The sauce is prepared in different styles at different places, but the one which is given below is my favorite.

Ingredients:

For Chicken:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast (cubed)
1egg
½ cup cornstarch
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil

For Sauce:

1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp cornstarch
Roasted sesame seeds for topping
Roasted red chili flakes for topping
Sliced green onion for topping

Procedure:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, cornflour, egg, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and make a smooth batter using cold water. The consistency of the batter is just like when you drop from a spoon it easily falls.
2. Dust chicken pieces in the remaining ¼ cup flour and then dip in batter.
3. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan, and put chicken pieces in it. Cook till chicken becomes golden brown, stir continuously for even cooking.
4. When the chicken has been done, in a mixing bowl combine all the sauces including, hoisin sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth.
5. Heat sesame oil in a saucepan, add ginger and saute for 2-3 mins. until fragrant. Then add the sauce mixture along with brown sugar and cook till it boils. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 5-8 mins.
6. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 tbsp of water and add it to the sauce mixture. Stir continuously until the sauce gets thick.
7. After that add cooked chicken in it, turn off the heat, and gently stir chicken in sauce to coat.
8. Take out the serving platter, make a bed of steamed rice, pour the prepared General Tsos Chicken over it, and sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds, red chili flakes, and green onions on top.

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