General Tso's Chicken With Rice

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C (fan)/ gas 4, then take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked, then remove from the heat and set aside (lid on)

Whilst the rice is cooking, cut your broccoli into small florets

Cut a piece of tin foil (or two!) approx. the size of A3 paper

Lay the broccoli florets in the middle with your toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] water and a pinch of salt and add to a baking tray (or two!)

Scrunch the edges of the foil around the broccoli to form a sealed parcel[s]

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 15 min or until tender

Whilst the broccoli is cooking, peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Combine 1/2 tsp per person of your cornflour (save the rest for later!), your soy sauce and 3 tbsp [4 tbsp] [5 tbsp] water in a bowl and stir it all together

Add your Chinese rice wine and honey and give everything a good mix up – this is your honey sauce

Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to a bowl with the remaining cornflour and give everything a good mix up until the chicken is fully coated

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a very generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the coated chicken and cook for 6-7 min on each side or until golden and cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your golden chicken

Once the chicken is golden, transfer it to a plate and set aside for later

Carefully pour away most of the oil and return the pan to a medium heat

Add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the honey sauce and cook for 1-2 min or until thick and sticky

Once the sauce has thickened, return the golden chicken to the pan and give everything a good mix up

Cook for 2-3 min further or until the chicken is coated in the sauce – this is your General Tso's chicken