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THIS CHICK WHEN IS CHICKEN NOT JUST CHICKEN? WHEN YOU PUT A FLAVOUR-FILLED ROCKET UP ITS BACKSIDE, THAT’S WHEN, SAYS ANT ELLIS
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his month, it’s all about flipping the chicken script on its head for my signature dish. Jammed with aromatic aromas, mouthwatering sweet and sour tang, a touch of heat with zingy citrus, and of course (if you nail it), tender, juicy meat in a sticky sauce with that crazy-satisfying, subtle crunch. All other chicken dishes, take a knee – you are simply not worthy. I first came across Orange Chicken when I was living near Hollywood in Los Angeles. We drove past a pretty mediocre, buffetstyle take-away chain every day, offering a load of Westernised Chinese-style dishes with cool names – things like General Tso’s Chicken, Beijing Beef and Kung Pao Chicken. I was working driving trucks, living on very little, so when I ate here it
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was a real treat – well, sometimes. Some dishes tasted good, some were bland and disappointing – but then there was the Orange Chicken. Bingo! It was budget stripmall chicken nirvana with greasy noods, in a polystyrene box kept closed with an elastic band. Sometimes I’d walk past the store just to get a whiff – yeah, it was that good. Over the years and in many attempts to recreate not only the taste, but the headspace of that amazing time in my life (food can do that), I’ve worked through a dozen copycat recipes with many of my own tweaks and flourishes – some which worked and some didn’t. I eventually settled on what I think is the closest version of this magnificent dish I’ve been able to reproduce, sans the polystrene and elastic
band, of course. I gotta warn ya – it takes time. There are lots of ingredients and a few processes, and you can’t skip any of it. But I’ll put my cock-a-doodle-doo on the cutting block that you’re gonna absolutely love it. The most important rule here is to be organised – use the right ingredients, understand that your prep is essential, don’t rush – and if I were you, make double. For my veggie friends, sub out the chicken with blanched cauliflower florets and do everything else the same. Until next time, don’t let recipes intimidate you. It may take an hour to make and five minutes to devour, but that’s the thing about cooking – it’s always, always worth it.
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FOR MORE INFO Talk to me at ant@rockthekitchen.co.za
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