the BEST Chinese-style sweet and spicy chicken

Ok, so maybe calling it "the best" sounds a tad egotistical but to be honest it was amazingly good. I'm by no means an advocate of deep-frying but I have to say, this was well worth it. It is a little fiddly in begin with but all comes together is a crunchy, juicy, hot, sweet way. I don't usually get so excited about food I've made simply because I cook all day and when you're cooking it sometimes the effort put in seems to outdo the enjoyment. I digress, just try it. It's very good. oh and apologies to any Chinese folk out there, this is more American-Chinese.

sweet chili sesame chicken 

1/2 water

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

6 to 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

SESAME SAUCE

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

2 teaspoons sambal oelek (chili paste)

COATING

3 egg whites

3/4 cup cornstarch (cornflour)

1/2 cup self-rising (raising) flour

canola or vegetable oil for deep-frying

1 English cucumber, chopped

sliced green onions, to serve

Combine water, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, vinegar, cornstarch and sesame oil in a small bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture in a separate bowl or resealable bag. Add chicken; toss to coat. Chill 30 minutes or longer if time permits.

To make the sauce, heat sesame oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and sambal. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add reserved soy mixture. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened; set aside.

To make the coating, beat egg whites using electric mixer in a medium, clean bowl until soft peaks form. Dip chicken in egg whites. Combine cornstarch and flour in shallow bowl. Dip chicken in flour mixture. Cook in hot oil 350°F/180°C until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Toss chicken and sauce in medium bowl. Serve with cucumber and green onions. Serves 4.

sweet chili sesame chicken deliciousness