General Tso's Chicken

500g chicken thighs, cut into bite size chunks
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 thumb-size piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 spring onions, white part sliced for cooking, green part sliced for garnish
Handful dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained
Sesame seeds, to garnish

The Marinade
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch sugar
1 egg
Salt and white pepper
Cornflour, generous amount

The Sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha
1/2 tablespoon Chinkiang black rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
Dash dark soy sauce
Chicken stock, to loosen

PREPARATION

Marinate and coat the chicken

1. Place the diced chicken thighs into a bowl. Add light soy sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of sugar. Massage thoroughly.
2. Crack in one egg and mix again. This helps the cornflour bind to the chicken.
3. Season with salt and white pepper.
4. Add a generous amount of cornflour. Toss until every piece of chicken is coated in a dry, dusty white layer. The chicken should look heavily coated and separate. This guarantees crispness.

Prepare the sauce

1. In a small bowl, mix sriracha, black vinegar, sweet chilli sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and sugar.
2. Add a dash of dark soy for colour.
3. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan or wok and bring to a boil.
4. Add a splash of chicken stock and allow the sauce to reduce by at least half until syrupy and glossy.
5. Once thick and sticky, remove from the heat and set aside.

COOKING

Deep fry the chicken

1. Fill a wok no more than halfway with oil and heat to 180°C. Test with wooden chopsticks. If bubbles form immediately, the oil is ready.
2. Dust off excess cornflour from the chicken.
3. Fry in batches, ensuring plenty of space in the wok so the temperature stays high.
4. Fry for a few minutes until golden and floating. Remove and drain.
5. For extra crispiness, fry a second time for 1 to 2 minutes.

Finish the dish

1. Heat a clean wok until smoking hot with a small drizzle of oil.
2. Add ginger, garlic and the white part of the spring onions. Stir briefly. You want fragrance without overcooking.
3. Add the soaked dried red chillies.
4. Pour in the reduced sauce. It should bubble vigorously and caramelise immediately.
5. Add the crispy chicken and toss quickly so the sauce wraps evenly around each piece. Do not overcook.
6. Remove from the heat once evenly coated and sticky.
7. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced spring onion greens.

Serve immediately while hot and crisp.

School of Wok Tips

• Use chicken thighs for better flavour and juiciness.
• The heavy cornflour coating is intentional for maximum crunch.
• Reduce the sauce before adding to the wok for better caramelisation.
• Toss quickly at the end to prevent the chicken from softening.

FAQs

Why use so much cornflour?
It creates separation between each piece and ensures a dry crisp coating after frying.

Can I skip the second fry?
Yes, but double frying gives an extra crunchy finish.

Is General Tso’s Chicken very spicy?
It is more sweet and tangy than hot. Adjust sriracha and dried chillies to suit your preference.