General Tso's chickenSweet and spicy crispy chicken
General Tso's chicken is the star of American-Chinese takeaway, created by Hunanese chefs in Taiwan and reinvented in New York's Chinatown restaurants in the 1970s; today it comes in white cartons from Manhattan to small-town Ohio. Chunks of chicken thigh are coated in egg and cornflour, fried until shatteringly crisp, then tossed in a glossy sauce of soy, vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic and dried red chillies. The usual mistake is pouring the sauce on too early or letting the chicken sit in it: the crust melts away. Thicken the sauce first, then toss the hot chicken in for no more than 30 seconds and serve. The chicken is done at 74 °C, when the pieces are firm and white inside. Serve with steamed rice and broccoli. Chef's tip: fry the chicken twice, the second time for 1 minute in hotter oil; the double fry keeps it crunchy under the glaze.
























