Servings: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Resting time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Ingredients
Chicken
- 12 skinless chicken drumsticks
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
General Tao sauce
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) soy sauce
- 90 ml (6 tbsp) chicken broth
- 90 ml (6 tbsp) ketchup
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) honey
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) rice vinegar
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) sesame oil
- 15 to 30 ml (1 to 2 tbsp) hot sauce (Sriracha or Sambal Oelek)
- 10 ml (2 tsp) cornstarch, mixed with 30 ml (2 tbsp) water
Vegetable tempura
- 1 onion, cut into thick wedges
- 2 bell peppers (red, green, or yellow), cut into wide strips
- ½ head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 cup tempura flour
- 1 cup very cold water (approximately)
- Oil for frying
Side dish
- 4 cups white rice, cooked
Preparation
- In a bowl, mix the baking soda and water.
- Add the drumsticks to this baking soda water, massage them in, and leave to rest for 45 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Rinse quickly under cold water and pat dry thoroughly.
- In a hot pan, brown the drumsticks on all sides in a little oil.
- In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, broth, ketchup, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and hot sauce.
- Pour the mixture over the drumsticks, add enough water to cover half of the drumsticks, and bring to a simmer.
- Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the meat is very tender. Halfway through cooking, stir everything together.
- Add the diluted cornstarch, stir, and bring to a simmer until the sauce becomes syrupy.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oil in the deep fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- In a bowl, mix the tempura flour and very cold water until you obtain a smooth batter.
- Dip each piece of vegetable, onion, pepper, and broccoli into the batter and fry them in the oil in the deep fryer until they are golden brown and crispy. Remove and place on paper towels.
- Divide the white rice between each plate, top with the drumsticks coated in sauce, and place the crispy tempura vegetables on top.
