Cantonese Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Yuècài Táng Cù Jī
Cantonese Style Sweet and Sour Chicken
Submitted By: Taz

Ingredients:

   2 lbs Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast (Jīxiōng Ròu) - cut into apx 1 inch by ¼ inch pieces
   4 Cups Cornstarch (Yùnmǐ Diànfě)
   2 Eggs (Dàn) + yolk leftover from marinade - beaten
   Enough Vegetable Oil (Shíyòngyóu) to fill wok 1 inch deep (apx 1 cup) for frying

'Vegetables':
   1 Red Bell Pepper (Dēnglóng Jiāo) - cut into apx 1 inch 'squares'
   1 Green Bell Pepper (Dēnglóng Jiāo) - cut into apx 1 inch 'squares'
   1 Medium White Onion (Bái Yángcōng) - cut into eighths and separated
   1 inch piece Fresh Ginger (Jiāng) - small chopped
   1 15oz Can Pineapple Rings packed in juice (Bōluó) - each ring cut into 5-6 pieces
   2 Green Onions (Cōng Bào) - cut into 1 inch pieces
   1 Tbs Oil - can use vegetable, canola, grape seed, or rapeseed oil
Marinade:
   1 Tbs Light Soy Sauce (Shēng Chōu)
   1 ½ tsp Toasted Sesame Oil (Zhīmayóu)
   2 tsp Shao Xing Rice Wine (Liàojiǔ)
   1 Egg White (Dànbái) - beaten
 Sauce (Táng Cù Jiàng):
   1 Large Orange (Júzi) - washed and sliced
   1 Lemon (Níngméng) - washed and sliced
   2 inches Fresh Ginger (Jiāng) - sliced into 4-5 slices
   ¼ tsp Kosher Salt (Yán)
   1 Cup Chinese Brown Sugar (Piàn Táng) - broken up
   1 Cup White Rice Vinegar (Mǐcù)
   3 Tbs Cornstarch (Yùmǐ Diànfěn) - mixed with 3 Tbs of water
   ¼ Cup Tomato Purée (Fānqiéjiàng)
   Juice from Canned Pineapple Rings (Bōluó Zhī)
   Water as Needed
Preparation:
 
Marinate the Chicken:
  1. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients (minus the egg white) in a medium bowl - Add the chicken pieces and toss to thoroughly coat - Set aside for 20-30 minutes or until sauce is made and vegetables are prepped
Make the Sauce (Táng Cù Jiàng):
  1. Place the juice from pineapple rings and water to equal 5 cups, sliced orange, sliced lemon, sliced ginger, and salt in a medium/large pot - Bring to a boil over high heat - Once a boil has been reached, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook (stirring occasionally) for 30 minutes
  2. Strain the mixture through a fine meshed sieve into a medium pan and use a rubber/silicone spatula or ladle to press the solids into the sieve to get out all of the liquid - Discard solids
  3. Whisk together your cornstarch and 3 Tbs of water in a small bowl until smooth - Set aside until needed
  4. Place your pan with the pineapple/citrus juice over medium-high heat and add the Chinese brown sugar, vinegar, and tomato purée - Thoroughly combine
  5. Bring mixture to simmer and slowly add in the cornstarch 'slurry' while constantly stirring and continue to cook until the sauce thickens to desired consistency (should coat the back of a spoon) - Adjust flavor to your liking (if you want it sweeter, add more sugar - if you want it more sour, add more vinegar)
  6. Remove from heat and set aside until needed or transfer to an airtight container for storage
Time to 'dunk and dredge':
  1. Add the beaten egg white to the chicken and marinade - mix well to make sure all of the chicken is coated
  2. Place the 2 eggs and leftover egg yolk in a shallow dish and beat well
  3. Place the cornstarch in a shallow baking dish
  4. Coat each piece of marinated chicken in the beaten egg (Dunk) and then place in the cornstarch (dredge) and 'toss' until fully coated on all sides
  5. Heat the oil for frying in a wok or large pot to 375ºF (a wooden skewer or toothpick will rigorously bubble when dipped into the oil OR a small piece of the cornstarch/egg will sizzle and float to the top when the temperature is right)
  6. Place the coated pieces of chicken one at a time so that they do not stick together in the oil (DO NOT OVER CROWD PAN) and allow to cook (keeping the chicken pieces moving so that they fry and color evenly) for apx 3-4 minutes until light golden brown all over - Transfer to a draining rig or absorbent paper until needed (do not overlap the chicken pieces or the coating will 'soften' where touching
Bring it All Together:
  1. Return the sauce to medium-low heat and allow to heat through until just bubbling
  2. Heat the 1 Tbs of oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering - Once the oil is hot, add the ginger and give it a good stir - Add all of the vegetables (minus the pineapple and green onion) and stir fry until done to your liking (apx 2-3 minutes for 'crisp'; 4-5 minutes for 'tender')
  3. Add the chicken and gently stir fry (careful not to damage the coating on the chicken) for 1-2 minutes just to warm the chicken through
  4. Add the heated sauce and pineapple pieces to the wok and mix well to evenly coat the chicken and vegetables
  5. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the green onion - Serve immediately alongside steamed rice or as part of a larger Chinese meal
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