Orange Chicken with Carrot and Celery

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

2 cups/490 ml strained fresh orange juice
1 1/4 cups/250 g granulated sugar
2/3 cup/145 ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon/10 g cornstarch
1 tablespoon/15 ml water
4 carrots, peeled, channeled and cut thinly on the bias
2 celery stalks, cut thinly on the bias
Salt

For the chicken:

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
3 free-range boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds/700 g total), each halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons/about 5 g Chinese five-spice powder
Salt
1/4 cup/30 g plus 1 1/4 cups/120 g all purpose flour
1 cup/225 ml ice cold water

Method:

To make the sauce:

Stir the orange juice, sugar and vinegar in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the carrots and celery and bring to the boil over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes or until reduced by one third. Mix the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl or cup. Slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the orange juice mixture while constantly stirring to blend.

Simmer the sauce for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly, skimming any impurities from atop the sauce with a ladle. Season the sauce to taste with salt. Set the sauce aside and keep warm.

To prepare the chicken:

Add enough oil to a heavy-based large saucepan to reach a depth of 4 inches/10 cm. Heat the oil over a medium heat to 350°F/180°C. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken breasts with the Chinese five-spice powder and salt.  Dust the chicken with 1/4 cup/30 g of flour. Stir the remaining 1 1/4 cups/120 g of flour and the ice water in a bowl to blend.

Dip the chicken pieces in the batter and slowly lower them into the hot oil. Deep fry the chicken pieces for about 3 minutes or until they are just cooked through and pale golden and crispy on the outside. Using tongs, transfer the chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil.

To serve:

Slice the chicken crosswise and arrange on a platter. Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve with the fried rice (see next recipe) and be happy.