Sunday supper: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Who can argue with crispy coated fried chunks of chicken in a lip-smackingly tangy sauce? Serve with plenty of boiled or fried rice to soak it all up. Pro tip: Cook the chicken immediately before making the sauce to avoid having the coating loosen as it sits. From "It's All About Dinner: Easy, Everyday, Family-Friendly Meals" (Kyle Books, 2022). A note to visual learners: Each recipe in the book includes a QR code for an instructional video.

For the chicken:

• 5 tbsp. sunflower oil

• 2 eggs

• 3 tbsp. cornstarch

• 3/4 cup. all-purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

• 2 tsp. paprika

• 3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb.), chopped into bite-size chunks

For the sauce:

• 1 tbsp. sunflower oil

• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into large chunks

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-in. pieces

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-in. pieces

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

• 1 tsp. minced ginger

• 2/3 c. ketchup

• 1 tbsp. tomato paste

• 2 tbsp. malt vinegar

• 6 tbsp. dark brown sugar

• 1 (20-oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice

• Rice or fried rice, for serving

Directions

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until very hot.

While the oil is heating, place the eggs in a shallow bowl and beat lightly. Place the cornstarch in a second shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt and paprika and mix together.

Dredge the chicken in the cornstarch, then dip in the egg (make sure all of the chicken is covered in egg wash), and finally dredge it in the seasoned flour.

Working in two batches, add the chicken to the wok and cook over a high heat for 6 to 7 minutes, turning two or three times. When well browned, transfer to a bowl lined with kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, start preparing the sauce: Add the oil to a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the onion for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns translucent. Add the peppers and cook another minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, dark brown sugar and the pineapple with the juices and stir. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let it bubble (stirring every so often) until slightly thickened.

Transfer the cooked crispy chicken to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat, cooking for a minute or two, then turn off the heat. Serve with plain or fried rice.