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Padraig Mor

Deep fried chicken balls with egg fried rice and sweet and sour sauce

Authentic Chinese food is a healthy option, featuring plenty of vegetables and steamed fish, etc. And then there's the food you get from Chinese takeaways in this part of the world - dripping with fat and about as authentically Chinese as I am. And we Irish love it! This recipe is for Chinese takeaway style sweet and sour chicken balls with egg fried rice on the side - a perennial favourite. Apologies for the poor photos - my great plans of a leisurely cook with ample time for quality photos disappeared in a cloud of screaming children and a ticking clock!
Serves 4

Egg Fried Rice
Ingredients
1 large egg
300g (approx - uncooked weight) basmati rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
Peas and finely chopped spring onions (optional)
Black pepper

Method
1. Fill a pan with water and bring to the boil.
2. Rinse the rice thoroughly with cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the pan and return to the boil; lower heat and simmer for 8 - 10 minutes or as directed on the packet.
3. Drain the rice and immediately rinse thoroughly with cold water. Drain and place in the fridge overnight.
4. Add a small amount of oil to a large frying pan and heat to medium - high. Crack the egg into the pan and quickly stir fry, breaking the egg into pieces with a spatula. Remove the egg and set aside (forgot to photograph this, sorry).
5. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and heat. Add the cooked rice and quickly stir fry for 3 - 4 minutes, ensuring all the rice is coated with oil.


6. Add the soy sauce and continue to stir fry for another 2 minutes or so.


7. Add the spring onions and peas (if using), a pinch of black pepper and the reserved egg. Fry for one minute more.


8. Remove rice to serving container and keep hot.



Sweet and sour sauce
Ingredients
120ml tomato ketchup
40ml white vinegar
140ml water
1/2 tsp soy sauce
140g white sugar
70g Brown sugar
Assorted vegetables – onion, peppers, etc. (optional)
3 tbsp cornflour
60ml water

Method
1. In a small pot the first six ingredients. Over low - medium heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.


2. add vegetables, if using.


2. In a bowl, combine to 60ml water and cornflour until milky.


3. Add to the sauce pot and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.


4. Remove sauce to serving container and keep hot.



Chicken balls
Ingredients
180g plain flour
180g cornflour
11/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
330ml water
4 chicken fillets
Oil for deep frying (approx 1 litre)

Method
1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Whisk until a smooth batter is formed.


2. Heat the oil in a large pan to medium - high (the more space, the less likely your chicken balls will stick together). You may need to heat for up to 10 minutes - the oil must be at full temperature before you start cooking!
3. Cut each chicken breast into bite size pieces.


4. Place the chicken pieces into the batter.


5. Remove the pieces one by one from the batter and carefully add to the oil.


6. Fry for 5 - 6 minutes until batter is golden and and chicken is cooked through. You may need to cook the pieces in batches - do not put too many in the pot at once (like I did) or they will cook more slowly and may stick together.




The end result (sloppily dumped on a plate)!