Chicken In Spicy Pineapple Sauce

A spicy, tangy, sweet and savoury stir-fry dish with a healthy balance of protein and vegetables. Cornflour in the marinade helps to make the chicken morsels tender and silky. Pineapple chunks and bell pepper give added crunch.

INGREDIENTS:

800g chicken cubes from thigh or breast meat
1 tsp salt for marinade
1 tbsp turmeric powder
½ tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp cornstarch/cornflour
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 onion, slice into rings
350g pineapple cubes (drained weight from canned pineapple; reserve the syrup)
1 tsp salt (or to taste) for final seasoning
Cooked basmati or white rice to serve

SAUCE — mix in another bowl:

1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
4 tbsp pineapple syrup

METHOD:

Wash and drain chicken meat and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add salt, turmeric and black pepper. Rub mixture all over chicken pieces. Coat with the cornflour and let chicken marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Heat oil to high in a wok. Add chopped garlic and chicken. Stir fry the chicken until almost cooked, then add onion, bell pepper and pineapple. Pour in the sauce and continue frying until chicken is cooked thoroughly and the vegetables soften.
Sprinkle salt all over and stir again. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.
Dish out and serve hot with rice. Serves 4-5 people.
Enjoy!

NOTES:

Turmeric powder or ground turmeric can stain fingers temporarily. Wear gloves or cover your hand with a plastic bag, if you are bothered by this. Or use a pair of tongs.
Most brands of canned pineapple contain added sugar. If you are using fresh pineapple, use the same amount of the fruit. For the syrup, use the same amount of water, plus about 2 tablespoons of sugar. Taste as you go and add more if necessary. On the other hand, you can also use less sugar to begin with. Using fresh pineapple helps you to control the sweetness level.
Cornflour is important in this recipe as it adds flavour, moisture and tenderness to the chicken. In Chinese cooking, this is called ‘velveting’.
Cornflour is called cornstarch in the US. Not to be confused with CORN FLOUR, which is a totally different product.