SCHEZWAN CHICKEN
Szechwan chicken is a spicy Chinese chicken dish where the fried chicken is tossed in spicy, hot and flavorful schezwan sauce. Schezwan / Szechwan / Szechuan cuisine is a style of Chinese cuisine originated from Sichuan province. Chinese cuisine is very popular for their Hakka noodles, soups, Chinese fried rice which are so yummy and delicious appetizers. The other popular dishes are Kung Pao chicken, Schezwan chicken and cashews etc. This chicken dish is mainly served with rice and vegetables which is a popular recipe from Schezwan cuisine. It is famed for its bold flavors especially the spiciness from red chilies. It is very simple in preparation if we have schezwan sauce / szechwan sauce which is prepared ahead of time. Here I made this dish with home made schezwan sauce / szechwan sauce. This sauce too is so simple and ease in making with very few handy ingredients. Do try this exotic special szechwan chicken recipe. You will really enjoy its taste.
INGREDIENTS
MARINATION
Chicken - 500 g, boneless preferred( i used both)Cornflour - 3 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Garlic powder or crushed garlic - 1 tsp
Egg white - of one egg
Salt
GRAVY
Onion - 1, small, dicedGarlic - 3 cloves, chopped
Bell pepper/capsicum - as required, diced
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Szechwan sauce(HOMEMADE RECIPE BELOW) - 4 tbsp (i used less hot red chilies for this sauce. If using store bought sauce, the sauce will be too hot and fiery. So if less hot preferred, add less sauce)
Sugar - half a tsp
Cornflour - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil
PREPARATION
- Marinate the finely sliced or cubed chicken pieces with the ingredients under marination and keep refrigerated for 15 minutes. Then either you can deep fry or else you can shallow fry these pieces until done. Do not fry until crispy. Set aside and drain the excess oil.
- Now heat a wok with some oil (2 tsp or more). Toss onion, garlic and bell pepper for 3 minutes.
- Now add the fried chicken pieces to it. Toss well for a minute.
- Then add soy sauce, szechwan sauce and mix well gently.
- Let it cook for a minute and then add sugar. Check for salt.
- Now pour cornflour water( 1 tsp of cornflour mixed in a quarter cup of water). Mix well and let it cook for 2 minutes or until thick. If you want more gravy, can add little more cornflour mixed in water.
- Remove from flame and serve hot with rice or chapathi or fried rice.
HOME MADE SCHEZWAN SAUCE / SZECHWAN SAUCE
INGREDIENTS ( for half a cup of sauce)
Dried red chilies - 10 nos
Garlic - 2 tsp, chopped finely
Ginger - 1 tsp, chopped finely
Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
Soy sauce - 1 tsp, do not add more
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt
METHOD
- Soak the red chilies in water for 30 minutes. Then remove its seed and grind it to a fine paste. (you can also boil the unseeded chilies before grinding in little amount of water for few minutes which gives a nice texture)
- Heat oil in a nonstick wok and saute chopped garlic. Always make the flame medium low while sauteing. Then saute ginger chopped.
- When the raw smell disappears, add the chili paste (5 tbsp) and saute very well in a low flame until the oil separates. Stir continuously.
- Now add soy sauce, tomato sauce and stir well.
- Finally add half a cup of water along with vinegar, sugar and let it cook until the sauce becomes thick, stirring continuously. Add a pinch of salt.
- Hot Schezwan sauce ready.
