Easy Chilly Chicken

I cannot promise that this recipe will taste much like the one from the popular Chinese restaurants. There is no MSG (Ajinomoto)  to add that unmistakable taste. But I can guarantee that this is an easy to follow recipe and the  result is tasty. AND, it is safe to serve to our children.

The first step is to marinate chicken for 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken - 500 gms. (You can use boneless chicken, I used medium sized curry cuts , with bones)
Soy sauce - 1 tsp (dark soy)
Corn flour - 2 tsps
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp

Mix all the other ingredients together and then add the chicken. Coat well and keep aside for 20 minutes minimum.

Onion - 1 large (peeled and chopped into cubes)
Green pepper / capsicum - 1 large (chopped into bite sized squares)
Garlic - 4 cloves (peeled,chopped fine)
Tomatoes - 2 (diced fine, with or without peel)
Spring onions - 2 stalks or more (finely chopped)

Mix together the following ingredients

Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp ( use more or less according to preference)
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Water - 1/4 cups

In a deep pan, heat oil, add the marinated chicken pieces (leave the marinade), and shallow fry the pieces.

Once the chicken turn golden brown on both sides, add the shallot part (whites) of the spring onions and the chopped garlic.
Next, add the chopped tomatoes. cover and cook on low heat for about 7 minutes.
Now add the tomato sauce, vinegar, chilli powder and water and the left over marinade, if any. Cook on a medium flame till the sauce bubbles and the chicken is cooked.
Add more salt to taste. Take off the heat.

In another fry pan, saute the chopped onions , add a pinch of salt so that they don't brown. Once the onions turn golden brown, add the capsicum and cook them to your taste. I like mine with a little crunch, so I don't let them cook through.

Add this to the chicken. Heat through, to mix all the flavors, and garnish with the remaining spring onions.

Note: an even easier way, is to toss in the onion and the capsicum when we add the chopped garlic. But when the sauces are added , these will turn soggy. and the capsicum won't retain the green color. Hence I used a separate pan.