Dragon Chicken

Cyrus Todiwala believes Dragon Chicken takes its name from the colour red as it can be fiery hot so you breathe fire! There are many variations of this recipe but there are also many commonalities, the main one being tomato ketchup and the better the quality of ketchup you use, the tastier the dish. The use of more chillies is completely personal and, you can increase them to suit your palate. Delicious!

3-4 portions for sharing

Ingredients

The marinade

Boneless Chicken – 500 gms leg or breast or both cut into dices
Red Chilli Paste – 1 Tablespoon
Soy Sauce – 2Teaspoons Dark
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 Tablespoon
Crushed Black Pepper – ½ Teaspoon
Whole Egg – 1 Large
Cornflour/Corn Starch – 4 Heaped tablespoons
Plain Flour – 3 Tablespoons
Salt – 1 Teaspoon
Oil – Enough for deep frying

The sauce

Oil – 2 Tablespoons from the frying oil
Cashew Nuts – 20-25
Dry Red Chilli – 4-5 smaller ones seeded and broken into pieces OR Use just a tablespoon of red chilli flakes
Onion – 1 medium to large, sliced
Chopped Ginger – ½ Tablespoon or bit more
Chopped Garlic -1 Tablespoon
Green Pepper – 1 Thinly sliced (or use less its optional)
Spring Onion – 1-2 Chopped
Tomato Ketchup – 150Gms
Light Soy Sauce – 1 Tablespoon to start then taste and add more if you like.
Chopped Coriander – 1-2 Tablespoons

Method

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For the marinade

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix in very well, if too dry add an egg white of you like and if too wet still add some cornflour until you get a nice sticky coating.

Refrigerate for at least 20-30 Minutes and meanwhile start preparing for the sauce.

The method

Heat the oil for deep frying and when hot mix the marinated chicken again and fry the pieces until well coloured.

Drain in a strainer and start on the sauce.

Take two tablespoons or a bit more of the frying oil in a large frying pan or wok. Whatever you use, remember the chicken has to be added in so it must be large enough.

Fry first the cashew nuts stir continuously until pale coloured and remove them adding them with the chicken.

Next add the shredded peppers and once again sauté until they change colour and remove them.

Add a bit more oil if you think you need it & then add the red chilli or flakes and the ginger and garlic and fry until garlic starts to colour

Add the sliced onion and sauté until onions turn soft.

Add the ketchup, swirl some water in the bowl to clean it out and add that to the pan.

Let it boil and then add the light soy sauce the chopped coriander and spring onions and then the chicken along with the cashew nuts and the peppers.

Toss a bit until the chicken gets hot again, taste and remove.

You can keep some coriander and spring onions aside and sprinkle this over the top before serving. You can serve this as a starter or with rice or noodles