A More Nuanced Sweet & Sour Chicken

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 cups brown basmati rice
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (i love bragg)
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger (fresh or jarred paste)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb chicken breast, in 1-inch cubes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup cornstarch
• peanut oil (for frying)
• 2 green onions, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 2 green peppers, julienned (sometimes i use one of those frozen veggie mixes with peppers, carrots, onions, etc)
• 8 ounces pineapple, canned, in bite-sized pieces, juice reserved
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground (or 1 dried round asian pepper, chopped)
• 1 tablespoon wine (like sake, chinese wine, or sherry)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 rinse brown rice gently as you bring water to a boil.
• 2 add rice to boiling water.
• 3 cover tightly with lid, set to simmer, and set timer for 45 minutes.
• 4 mix vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, and salt. set aside.
• 5 after the rice has been cooking for 30 minutes, begin making your chicken.
• 6 heat about 3 cups peanut oil in a large wok, saucepan or deep fryer. it is ready when it almost begins to smoke or at 375°f.
• 7 dip chicken in the egg, and roll in cornstarch.
• 8 add part of the meat, one piece at a time. stir a little to keep the pieces from sticking together. do not crowd your pan--cook in batches if you must.
• 9 fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon to a baking dish lined with paper towel.
• 10 frying the chicken should take about 15 minutes, and by this time, you will need to remove the rice from the heat. do not open your rice; just sit it back on a cold burner and let it be for 15 minutes.
• 11 saute garlic briefly in 3 t oil, making sure not to burn the garlic.
• 12 add cayenne pepper, green pepper, green onion, pineapple, and meat. stir well.
• 13 sprinkle in wine; stir in the sauce mixture you made earlier. bring mixture to boil.
• 14 if the sauce seems too thick, you may add some of the reserved pineapple juice and bring to a boil again. taste for seasoning and acidity--add more vinegar for more sour, and more pineapple juice or sugar for additional sweetness.
• 15 mix 2t cornstarch with 4t water, and cook until the mixture is somewhat thick and clear.