Szechuan Chicken Curry (Quick & Easy)

          This dish just makes a great lunch/dinner idea who is craving for something Chinese.....It's a very simple, quick recipe for Szechuan-style chicken with basic ingredients.... This is usually served over white rice, fried rice, vegetable pulao (my favorite)...also goes with any type of bread, rotis, chappathis, parathas & dosas too..
    
           Szechuan cooking is usually pretty spicy, but this recipe is surprisingly mild (can add adjust the spice according to your taste).....chicken pieces are tossed in a spicy and flavorful sauce giving in an amazing moist flavor...the main spiciness of this dish comes from dried red chilies.... I know authentically you would be using Szechuan peppercorns but these can be a little hard to find in some places.....a light coating of cornstarch is preferred as i love my chicken bits to be a little crispy....

Ingredients

1.Chicken-1 kg
2.Cornflour/Cornstarch-3 1/4 tbsp
3.Soya sauce- 5 1/2 tbsp
4.Tomato ketchup-1 tbsp
5.Onion-3  (large)
6.White Vinegar-1 1/2 tbsp
7.Sugar-1/2 tbsp
8.Dry red chilly(vattal mulaku)-5 long ones
9.Water-1/2 cup
10.Oil-3 tbsp
11.Garlic-5 pods (thickly chopped)
12.Capsicum (Ball Pepper)-1 (chopped) (optional)

Preparation

~Soak dry red chillies in warm water for 10 mins.
~Drain the water & grind the red chillies & keep aside.

~Chop onions in the Chinese method.(usually seen only for Chinese dishes)
~Cut them into two pieces..take each piece & slice it diagonally & then into squares..

 
 

















~Clean the chicken pieces, pat dry them & take them in a bowl.
~Add 3 tbsp cornflour to this & coat the chickens well with your hands (or toss them properly)

~Heat oil in a non-stick kadai (Indian wok),reduce the flame & add the prepared chicken & garlic to this.
~Stir-fy this chicken for 3-4 mins in medium heat & off the flame.
~Transfer this half-fried chicken & garlic to a pressure cooker along with water, 1 tbsp vinegar, 5 tbsp soya sauce, chopped onions, chopped capsicum & 1 tbsp of grinded red chilly paste & cook till 2-3 whistles (till the chicken becomes tender)

~After release of steam open it & transfer the cooked chicken mix back to the kadai & heat in low flame.
~Add tomato ketchup & sugar & mix well & cook for 2 mins.

~Adjust rest of chilly paste(increase if you want it more spicy), 1/2 tbsp vinegar,1/2 tbsp soya sauce(low sodium content would be perfect) accordingly. 
~Mix 1/2 tsp cornflour in 1 tbsp water & pour it into the curry & mix well.
~The sauce will turn slightly thickened and glossy within 2 mins.
~Remove from flame & just give it a taste..

A deliciously moist & tasty way to have chicken !!!