Charred Pineapple Sweet And Sour Chicken

• 200g fresh pineapple or drained canned pineapple
• 300g boned, skinless chicken thighs
• 200g cornflour, seasoned with ¼ teaspoon
• Salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil, for frying

THE MARINADE

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 egg

THE SAUCE

• 4 tablespoons Chinkiang black rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 200ml chicken stock

• Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8.

• Cut the pineapple into large chunks, peeling it and reserving the peelings if using fresh pineapple as you go. Put the pineapple chunks on a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until charred around the edges. Set aside.

• Lay your chicken thighs flat and slice them at an angle into thin pieces roughly 5cm wide. Put the meat in a mixing bowl, add the marinade ingredients and mix together well, then add the seasoned cornflour and, using your hands, massage it into the meat until each piece of meat separates.

• Put all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, adding your discarded pineapple pieces if using fresh pineapple, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then increase the heat to a boil and cook for a further 5 minutes until the flavours have melded and infused and the sauce has reduced by half. Remove the pineapple pieces and pour into a small bowl

• Chop the onion and pepper into large chunks. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry wok for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and golden brown, then set aside.

• BUILD YOUR WOK CLOCK: place your marinated chicken slices at 12 o’clock, then arrange the onion, pepper, charred pineapple chunks, reduced sauce and toasted sesame seeds clockwise around your plate.

• Half-fill a large pot, wok or deep-fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 170°C (350°F), or until the tip of a wooden chopstick or skewer starts to fizz after a few seconds in the oil. Carefully add the marinated chicken and deep-fry until golden brown, about 4–5 minutes.

• Remove the pieces carefully with a slotted spoon and drain well on a plate covered with kitchen paper.

• In a separate wok, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over a high heat until smoking-hot. Add the onion and pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute until nicely charred. Add the pineapple chunks, pour over the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil, then add the chicken pieces and toss through two to three times to mix everything together. Spoon into a serving bowl, scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and serve.