Chinese Lemon Chicken

Ingredients: (serves 2)

300g. chicken breast (cut into roughly 3cm. cubes)

2 tbsp. water mix with 1/4 tsp. chicken stock granules

3/4 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup plain flour 

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1/2 tsp. ginger (finely grated)

1 tsp. cornflour dissolved in 1 tbsp. water

Oil for frying

Garnish:

1/2 tsp. white sesame seeds (toasted)

Spring onion (sliced) 

Lemon slices (optional) - I did not use

Marinade:

1 tbsp. light soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. Shaoxing wine

1/2 egg white (lightly whisked)

Methods:

1. In a large bowl, place chicken and marinade ingredients.  Mix thoroughly to break up the egg white.  Allow to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. In another bowl, add the chicken stock mixture, light soy sauce and sugar; mix to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the lemon juice and zest.
4. Place the flour in a large bowl.  Add chicken pieces and the marinade and use your hands to pat and press the liquid and flour together around the chicken pieces to form a craggy coating.
5. Fill a heated wok with oil to about 1/3 capacity.  The oil is hot enough for frying when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms small little bubbles.  Shake excess flour from the chicken pieces, add into the oil and cook until golden and cooked through.  Dish and drain on kitchen paper.  Cook the chicken pieces in few batches.
6. In a clean wok over medium high heat, add 1/2 tablespoon of oil, saute garlic and ginger until fragrant.  Then add the chicken stock mixture and cook until sugar has dissolved.  Then add the lemon juice and zest mixture.  Simmer for another 15 seconds before adding the cornflour mixture.  Cook until sauce has thickened slightly.  Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated.  Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onion.  Garnish with lemon if using.

Notes:  This Lemon Chicken recipe is more on the sourish lemony taste.  If you love the sourish taste, then you are going to love this dish. 

I adapted this recipe from 'Marion's Kitchen' with slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.