Chicken Balls with Sweet and Sour sauce

This is so much tastier than the take away variety and very achievable and no salt in sight. Suitably served with Cookeryclubs egg-fried rice. Try king prawn balls or pork balls instead.

Preparation time: 30 -40 minutes   Quantity: Serves 4   Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (or 3 for 6 portions)

Marinate -
1 tablespoon homemade or regular tomato sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Batter –
200g /8 oz plain flour
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
season
water to mix

Sweet and sour sauce –
300 ml tomato sauce homemade or regular
100g /4 oz light brown sugar
100 ml malt vinegar
1 small tin of pineapple chunks and juice
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
20g carrot - fine stripped
3 spring onions -finely stripped
20g beanshoots (optional)

Method

  • Cut the chicken in to large dice
  • Steam/ cook the chicken breast till just cooked
  • Marinate till needed
  • Make up the batter by whisking the flour, vinegar and BP with enough water to make a thick batter (double cream consistency)
  • Make up the sauce by bringing all the ingredients to the boil
  • Then simmer for 4 –5 minutes till thickened
  • Meanwhile heat up the deep fat fryer to 7/8 or 180c
  • Coated the chicken in the batter
  • Shake of excess and place in the fryer gently
  • Cook until golden brown
  • Drain the battered chicken balls on kitchen paper
  • Serve with the sweet and sour sauce on the side