Sweet and Sour Chicken

1. In a bowl, mix the chicken with the egg white, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and the cornstarch until evenly coated. Leave for 15 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.
2. Whisk the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and brown sugar together to make the sauce.
3. Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a drop of water sizzles away on contact. Pour in 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat; the pan really does need to be very hot. Spread the chicken out in a single layer and fry untouched for 1 minute, until browned underneath, then flip and fry the other side for 1 minute (it should still look pink in the middle). Lift onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as you can.
4. Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Once hot, add the pepper chunks and ginger and fry for 1 minute.
5. Tip in the pineapple chunks and the sauce. Turn the heat up to high and, as it starts to simmer, return the chicken. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (cut a piece to check; if still pink, give it another minute).
6. Taste the sauce and adjust with a little more brown sugar or vinegar to your liking. Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Coating the chicken in egg white and cornflour, a technique called velveting, gives it a tender, silky finish.
• Get the pan genuinely hot so the chicken browns instead of stewing in its own juices.
• Mix the sauce in advance so you can pour it in all at once.
• Check the balance at the end and nudge it with a little more sugar or vinegar if needed.