This dish can be mild or a scorcher, depending on your taste buds. Most dried chiles won’t add much heat, but the bird’s-eye chiles can send smoke out of your ears. So, add them timidly and taste. Much of the heat will come from the chile-garlic sauce or nasi goreng paste, so start with less and taste as you go. This dish takes a few tries to reach the spice level you prefer.
Ingredients
- 11 egg
- 4 Tbsp60ml cornstarch
- 1 tsp5ml garlic paste or freshly grated garlic
- 1 tsp5ml black pepper
- 1 tsp6g fine sea salt
- 1½1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup80ml vegetable oil
- 33 whole dried chiles or bird’s-eye chiles
- ½ cup120ml ketchup
- ¼ cup60ml chile-garlic sauce or nasi goreng paste
- 2 Tbsp30ml soy sauce
- 1 cup240ml chicken stock (optional)
- 11 bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 33 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- Cooked white rice or fried rice, for servingCooked white rice or fried rice, for serving
Preparation
Velvet the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Continue whisking and gradually add 3½ tablespoons of cornstarch until there are no lumps. Stir in garlic, black pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the chicken pieces and stir until well coated. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together ketchup, chile-garlic sauce, soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 cup chicken stock (skip it for a dry version). Set aside.
In a wok, heat oil on medium for 45 seconds. Add the chicken and cook until it starts to turn white, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the pieces and continue cooking until the chicken starts to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add dried chiles and bell pepper and cook on medium for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the chile-garlic mixture to the wok and stir to combine.
Mix the remaining ½ tablespoon of cornstarch with ¼ cup of water until smooth. Stir it into the wok and simmer until the sauce thickens and starts to turn glossy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chicken, stir to combine, and cook until no pink remains in the center.
Top with spring onions and serve with rice.