Chicken Manchurian Dish (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Core Ingredients

01 - 1.5 pounds of boneless thigh meat, diced into 1-inch cubes
02 - Half a red bell pepper, minced finely
03 - Reserved onion-garlic-ginger paste (2 tablespoons from marinade)

→ Marinade for Chicken

04 - Half a small minced onion, about 3-4 tablespoons
05 - 3 to 4 thin slices of ginger, around 1.5-2 tablespoons in total
06 - 3 minced garlic cloves, approximately 1.5 tablespoons
07 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
08 - Half a tablespoon of Indian chili powder or substitute cayenne
09 - 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce
10 - A few splashes of water, around 3-4 tablespoons
11 - 10 tablespoons cornstarch, added right before frying

→ Manchurian Sauce

12 - 2 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste
13 - 2.5 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce for a rich flavor
15 - 1.5 tablespoons dark soy sauce
16 - 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
17 - 1.5 tablespoons of rice or plain vinegar
18 - 1.5 teaspoons of cayenne or Indian chili powder
19 - 1 to 2 finely chopped bird's eye chilies
20 - Half a cup of water

→ Slurry

21 - 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
22 - 4 teaspoons chilled water

→ Optional Garnishes

23 - Minced fresh cilantro (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - Make a paste by blending garlic, onion, and ginger together in a food processor. Keep 2 tablespoons aside for cooking later. Mix the rest with the chicken along with soy sauce, chili powder, black pepper, and water. Chill it for at least an hour, or leave overnight. Wait to add the cornstarch until it’s time to fry.
02 - Dice the red bell pepper into small pieces and leave it aside along with the reserved paste. If you want, finely chop some cilantro to sprinkle on top later.
03 - In a bowl, stir together the tomato paste, oyster sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, dark soy, soy sauce, chili powder, bird's eye chilies, and water. Also, make the slurry by whisking cornstarch with cold water. Leave both mixtures nearby for when you need them.
04 - Coat the chicken pieces in cornstarch right before frying. Heat oil to 350°F (about 177°C) in a wok or fryer. Fry the chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes to keep them from crowding. Once all pieces are done, fry them all together a second time for about 30 seconds to ensure they stay crispy. Drain on paper towels afterward.
05 - Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a wok over medium heat. Toss in the reserved onion-ginger-garlic mixture and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped bell peppers and cook for another couple of minutes. Then, add your premixed sauce and cook it down until it thickens slightly.
06 - Add the fried chicken into the wok and stir it around until every piece is coated in sauce. If you're using cilantro, sprinkle it over the top. Serve with hot steamed rice or noodles of your choice.

# Notes:

01 - Indian chili powder is different from blends—it’s just ground chilies. Use cayenne if you can’t find it.
02 - Oyster sauce gives a savory kick. Replace it with soy sauce and some sugar if you don’t have it.
03 - Frying your chicken twice makes it incredibly crunchy.

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