BETTER THAN TAKEOUT - Spicy Szechuan Chicken Recipe
**Sutram Chicken: A Spicy and Addictive Chinese Dish**
To make this delicious dish, you will need 1 pound of chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces. Marinate it with 1.5 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine, 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of garlic powder (or freshly ground garlic), 1 tsp of sugar, 1 teaspoon of five-spice, 1/2 tsp of salt or to taste, and 1/2 tsp of baking soda. The baking soda is very important as it helps tenderize the chicken. Mix everything together until the liquid is all gone, then set it aside for 30 minutes before frying.
**Frying the Chicken**
We are going to fry the chicken twice. The first time is to cook it through, and the second time is to get a nice golden brown color. Heat up your oil in a wok or deep frying pan until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (if you don't have a thermometer, test the temperature with one small piece of chicken). Bring this heat to life by testing if the chicken flows to the top and there are many bubbles coming out - it means you're good to go. Separate your chicken before putting them into the hot oil; slightly push them apart to ensure they don't come together. Fry the chicken for about a minute, then take it out. Don't fry it too long because pieces of chicken this small cook quickly.
**Achieving the Perfect Color**
Let the fried chicken rest for a few minutes before frying it again. Now that we want to get it better, let's add some color to our dish. Heat up your oil in the wok or deep frying pan until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (again, if you don't have a thermometer). When the bubbles almost stop, put your chicken back into the hot oil - only need about 40 seconds to get it really nice and golden brown. Take it out and let it rest for another minute.
**The Final Touches: Frying with Choice**
Now that we have our chicken cooked, we're going to add some unique flavors to our dish. We'll be frying our chicken again, but this time with hot dry choice (yes, it looks a little crazy, but trust me, it's worth it). Heat up your wok or deep frying pan on low heat for 10 seconds, then turn the heat to low and add a quarter cup of oil along with aromatics like minced garlic, shredded ginger, white part of spring onion, soutane peppercorn, and face heaven chili. Stir everything together, then adding a teaspoon of salt (to help release the flavors). Cook on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, allowing all the great ingredients to start waking up.
**Adding the Chicken Back In**
Now that our aromatics are cooked, it's time to add our chicken back into the wok. Mix everything together and add a tiny amount of water from the side of the pan (just enough to infuse the chicken with flavors). Stir everything for two or three minutes, then take it out of the wok.
**The Final Touch: Garnish**
Finally, we'll add some sesame seeds on top as garnish. You can serve our sutram chicken hot and enjoy its unique flavors and aromas.
**Tips and Variations**
I know this dish might seem crazy to a lot of you with so many chilies, but trust me, it's worth trying! If you think you can handle the spice level, try eating the chicken with the strong peppercorn - it's like a thumb that blows up all the flavors. The authentic look of sutram province is also achieved by using this combination of ingredients.
**Ingredients and Measurements**
For those who want to replicate this dish at home, here are the ingredient amounts:
* 1 pound of chicken breast
* 1.5 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
* 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp garlic powder (or freshly ground garlic)
* 1 tsp sugar
* 1 teaspoon five-spice
* 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
**Additional Tips**
Remember, the baking soda is essential for tenderizing the chicken. Also, be careful when working with hot oil as it can splash a lot.
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