Recipe of Mongolian chicken with rice

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken breast (2 breasts), sliced into 1 cm strips
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (16 g), divided
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (45 ml)
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (40 g)
• ⅓ cup brown sugar (65 g)
• 2 tablespoons water (30 ml), for the sauce
• 2 tablespoons ice-cold water (30 ml), to dissolve the cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (15 ml)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (45 ml), divided
• 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (15 g)
• 4 scallions (spring onions), cut into 4 cm pieces
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes or 1 dried chilli (optional)
• 1½ cups jasmine rice (300 g)
• 2 cups water (480 ml), for the rice
• 1 teaspoon salt, for the rice water
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Rinse the jasmine rice under the tap until the water runs almost clear, drain it and put it in a pot with the 2 cups of water and the salt.

2. 2

   Bring the rice to a boil over high heat, turn it down to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

3. 3

   Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and slice it into 1 cm strips: wet chicken steams in its own juice instead of browning.

4. 4

   Put the chicken in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and toss until every strip is coated. Leave it for 10 minutes: that cornstarch coating is what gives the golden crust.

5. 5

   Whisk the remaining soy sauce, the hoisin, the brown sugar, the 2 tablespoons of water, the sesame oil and the chilli flakes in another bowl.

6. 6

   Dissolve the other tablespoon of cornstarch in the 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water and set aside: this is the thickener that goes in at the end.

7. 7

   Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat until the oil shimmers.

8. 8

   Brown the chicken in two batches, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, leaving it still for the first minute, then tossing until golden and cooked through. Move it to a plate.

9. 9

   Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the garlic and the ginger and stir for 30 seconds: just until fragrant, without browning them.

10. 10

    Pour in the sauce from the bowl and let it bubble for 1 minute so the sugar dissolves.

11. 11

    Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir constantly for 30 to 60 seconds, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.

12. 12

    Return the chicken with its juices and the scallions and toss for 1 more minute, so everything is coated in the sauce.

13. 13

    Serve over hot jasmine rice and finish with the sesame seeds.