SWEET-AND-SOUR CHICKEN

Servings: 4
Ingredients:

3/4 lb Chicken breast
- skinless, boneless
1 tb Rice wine or dry sherry
1 tb Light soy sauce
1/2 ts Salt
1 sm Green bell pepper
1 sm Red bell pepper
1    Carrot
2    Scallions
1    Egg; beaten
2 tb Cornstarch
2 c  Oil, preferably peanut
3 oz Canned lychees; drained -OR-
1    -fresh orange in segments

———————————–SAUCE———————————–
2/3 c Chicken stock
1 tb Light soy sauce
1/2 ts Salt
1 1/2 tb Chinese white rice vinegar
-=OR=- Cider vinegar
1 tb Sugar
1 tb Tomato paste
1 ts Cornstarch
1 ts Water

CUT THE CHICKEN INTO 1-INCH cubes. Put the cubes into a bowl together with
the rice wine or sherry, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon
salt, and marinate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the green and red peppers
into 1-inch squares. Peel and cut the carrots and scallions into 1-inch
chunks. (The uniform size of meat and vegetables adds to the visual appeal
of the dish.) Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the carrots in it
for 4 minutes, then drain and set aside. Mix the egg and cornstarch in a
bowl until they are well blended into a batter. Lift the chicken cubes out
of the marinade, put them into a batter and coat each piece well. Heat the
oil in a deep-fat fryer or large wok until it is almost smoking. Remove the
chicken pieces from the batter with a slotted spoon and deep-fry them.
Drain the deep-fried chicken cubes on paper towels.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, vinegar,
sugar and tomato paste in a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Add all the
vegetables, but not the lychees or oranges, and stir well. In a small bowl,
blend together the cornstarch and water. Stir this mixture into the sauce,
and bring it back to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the
lychees or oranges and chicken cubes. Mix well, then turn the mixture onto
a deep platter. Serve at once.

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