Lip-smacking US orange chicken

ORANGE chicken is one of the most popular dishes at Chinese restaurants in North America and may have been developed as a non-spicy version of General Tso’s chicken, which also originated in the United States.

So popular is this dish that it has even earned its place in the culinary calendar with July 15 being designated as Orange Chicken Day since 2017.

Fans of The Big Bang Theory television show will also know that it is Sheldon Cooper’s favourite dish.

It is said to have been invented in 1987 by chef Andy Kao who ran the Hawaiian Panda Express eatery and has since become the signature dish of this American-Chinese fast food chain.

But the dish may have been derived from the tangerine chicken dish from Hunan, China, where it is known as dried citrus peel chicken.

One large orange should yield enough peel, zest, juice and garnishing slices for this dish. You basically use up a whole orange without wasting any part of it.

Any boneless cut of chicken may be used, and although Americans favour skinless breast meat, Asians prefer the meat from the leg quarter with skin on.

Cut the chicken into pieces of about 2 to 3cm cubes to allow the marinade to penetrate through.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to bite-sized pieces.

One says to cut them into small pieces that can be eaten in one mouthful, another says to cut them into pieces that are just big enough to take one bite.

My mum taught me the latter method because she said that one of the sensory pleasures of eating is to be able to bite into the food.

So unless you are making popcorn chicken, most dishes would ask for meat or vegetables to be cut to a size that you do not just pop into your mouth.

Although some recipes do not include toasted sesame seeds as a garnish, I find that they not only make the dish look more appetising, they also contribute a lot to the flavour. Sprinkle the sesame seeds generously over these nuggets in its tangy, zesty and sticky sauce.

Orange chicken

Marinade

• 300g boneless chicken, cut into bite-size cubes
• 10g fresh ginger, grated
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp light soy sauce

Ingredients

• 2 strips orange peel skin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bulb onion, cubed
• 1 red chilli, seeded and cubed
• 2 cups cooking oil for deep-frying

Orange sauce

• 1 tsp orange zest
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp salt to taste

Batter

• 1 egg white
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp ice-cold water
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• ¼ tsp salt to taste

Garnish

• orange slices
• coriander leaves
• 2 tsp white sesame

Method

Marinade chicken cubes with grated ginger, pepper and soy sauce for about 20 minutes.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the orange sauce until combined.

In another bowl, whisk all the frying batter ingredients until the batter is smooth. Drop in the chicken cubes, coat well and set aside.

Toast white sesame in wok without oil until light golden. Set aside for garnish.

Heat oil in the wok.

Gently drop in battered chicken cubes one at a time, spreading them out to prevent sticking or overcrowding the wok.

Deep-fry until the nuggets turn light golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Continue frying in batches.

Remove frying oil from wok, retaining just three tablespoons for the stir-fry.

Fry the orange peel in oil until fragrant. Add the garlic and sautè until aromatic.

Add onions and chillies and give them a quick toss.

Pour in the orange sauce mixture to deglaze the wok and bring it to a light simmer. Return nuggets to the wok, stir to combine with the sauce.

Dish out, garnish with orange slices and cilantro, top with white sesame and serve immediately with steamed rice.