TRY IT YOURSELF

Chongqing chicken with chillies

SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins

COOK 15 mins MORE EFFORT

450g skin-on boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm chunks about 400ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1/2 tbsp Sichuan chilli bean paste 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 10g ginger, peeled and sliced 2 spring onions, white parts only

50g medium-hot dried chillies, snipped into 2cm pieces, seeds shaken out

2 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns dash of Shaohsing rice wine

1/2 tsp caster sugar 1 tsp sesame oil

For the marinade

20g ginger, unpeeled

1 spring onion, white part only 2 tsp Shaohsing wine

1 Make the marinade. Lightly smack the ginger and spring onion white with a rolling pin, then add to a bowl with the 2 tsp Shaohsing wine and 1/2 tsp salt. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for 10-15 mins, then discard the ginger and spring onion. 2 Heat 400ml of the vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat to 190C. Add the chicken and deep-fry for 4 mins. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon. Reheat the oil to 190C, return the chicken to the wok and fry for another 3-4 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3 Carefully pour off the oil and wipe out the wok. Return 31/2 tbsp oil to the wok and place over a medium heat. Add the chilli bean paste and stir until the oil is red, then add the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and stir-fry briefly. Add the chillies and Sichuan peppercorns and stir until aromatic. 4 Return the fried chicken to the wok and stir briskly to coat in the fragrant oil. Add the Shaohsing wine, together with the sugar and

1/4 tsp salt . Take off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve.

PER SERVING 456 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 8g • carbs 7g • sugars 7g • fibre 3g • protein 26g • salt 1.2g