JAMES MARTIN SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

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• First, make the sauce. Put the orange juice, sugar, tomato purée, ketchup and vinegar in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins. Slowly pour in the cornflour mixture, a little at a time, stirring continuously until you have the desired consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Mix the flour, baking powder and 1 tsp salt together in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, milk and 1 tbsp oil together in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well to create a smooth paste. Add the chicken pieces and mix, making sure each piece is thoroughly coated.
• Fill a deep saucepan or wok no more than a third full with oil and heat to 170C, or until a cube of bread dropped in browns within 30 seconds. Carefully lower the coated chicken pieces into the oil, one piece at a time, and fry in batches of five for about 5-6 mins each batch until golden brown and cooked through. If you have a food probe thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 78C. If you don't have a thermometer, cut a chicken piece in half to ensure the juices run clear.
• Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack set over a baking tray lined with kitchen paper, or on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Serve with the sweet & sour sauce for dipping.

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• Firstly in a saucepan heat a tbsp of cooking/olive oil on medium heat. Add the diced onion and let them sweat for a couple of minutes. (While the onions are sweating you can put a separate pan of water on to boil for the rice to cook in.)
• Then add to the onions the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and tomato puree. Keep stirring this mixture.
• Mix the corn flour (for the sauce) in the cold water then add to the pan.
• Stir in the sugar then add your pepper, carrot and pineapple with the juice from the tin. Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce is simmering you can mix up your batter. mix the two flours together and baking powder,gently add iced water, briefly stir- can stay lumpy but do not over stir.
• Dip your chicken in the batter and deep fry until a golden brown colour. (cut into one of the chicken pieces to ensure it is cooked thoroughly)
• serve chicken on a plate then pour the sauce over the top.
• Serve with rice.
• Also try this recipe with either pork, prawns, vegetables or tofu.