Sweet & Sour Chicken With Rice

Before you start cooking, 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 the rice is cooked, then remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Meanwhile, cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces, then add to a bowl with most of your cornflour (save 1 tsp for later!) and mix until the chicken is coated in the flour

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

Once hot, add the coated chicken and cook for 10-12 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!) and crispy all over – this is your crispy chicken

While the chicken is cooking, boil half a kettle

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into small pieces

Peel and chop your brown onion[s] into small pieces

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

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Once the chicken is crispy and cooked through, transfer it to a plate and set aside for later, then return the pan to a medium heat

Add the chopped pepper and onion and cook for 5-6 min or until starting to soften

Once softened, add the chopped garlic and ginger and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

While the vegetables are cooking, combine the remaining cornflour in a bowl with 100ml [125ml] [150ml] boiled water

Add your tomato ketchup, Chinese rice wine, red chilli relish, honey, soy sauce and rice vinegar and mix until smooth – this is your sweet & sour sauce

Increase the heat to high, then return the crispy chicken to the pan with the sweet & sour sauce and cook for 2-3 min further or until a thick sauce remains – this is your sweet & sour chicken

Trim, then slice your spring onion[s]