Things Are Finally Settling Down

I know it's been a long time since I wrote a post and I know that I keep apologising but things will get back to normal now and you'll get your regular dose of recipes again. I've just chosen all of my classes and I think I'm happy with them (having walked out of today's one half way through because the same subject made my cry in first year and switched it for a better class). Some are brilliant. like my writing techniques class - this week we had to write lonely hearts ads and last week it was acrostics - and some are straightforward and not too challenging - like my translation classes. My flat is also, mostly, behaving itself after a flood during a bad storm. Although I'm still trying to get the roof fixed, I'm beginning to understand that the French are unbelievably laid-back about water coming in through the roof and that if I ring every so often then hopefully it'll all get sorted before winter! The social aspect of uni is great - I've made plenty of friends - and I've even thrown my first baby dinner party (4 friends and lots of thai green curry). Here's to many more to come!

My friend from Manchester, Jed, was staying with me for a couple of weeks while he found himself a flat and one night I made the Hairy Biker's lemon chicken for us. Well, it was delicious and while it's very different to my favourite lemon chicken from Dim T in Winchester, it's got a punchy flavour without being cloyingly sweet and unhealthy. I've changed a couple of things around as I didn't think there was enough sauce but that the juice of 2 whole lemons would make it too sour (I was right - 1½ is about right but feel to add more if you want to).

I've also used techniques from the food photography class I went on to (hopefully) improve the photos I've taken of this dish - let me know what you think!

Setting up the shot

Lemon Chicken Recipe

Serves 2, easily doubled

Serve with rice

Ingredients

2 small chicken breasts

1 small egg white

1tsp cornflour

100ml chicken stock

1½ lemons juiced

1tsp caster sugar

1tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp mirin/rice wine

½tsp chilli flakes

2 garlic cloves

½tsp cornflour

Sesame oil

Salt and pepper

1 spring onion sliced on the diagonal, optional, to serve

Method

Mix the egg white and cornflour together to form a paste. Cut the chicken into strips and place in the bowl with the egg mix. Coat well and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes (this "velvets" the chicken and gives it the right texture, although you could leave it out if you're in a hurry).

Mix together the stock, lemon juice, sugar, soy sauce, mirin, chilli flakes and seasoning.

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a wok and add the chicken (try to avoid adding any excess egg mix). Stir fry until the chicken has cooked, then remove from the wok and set aside.

Fry the minced garlic in the wok for 30 seconds to cook it and then add the lemon juice mixture. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute.

Mix the ½tsp of cornflour with 1 tbsp of water to make a smooth paste and add to the sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes or so to thicken the sauce slightly.

Return the chicken to the pan and heat through.

Add a few drops of sesame oil.

Test the flavour of the sauce and adjust as needed.

Top with the spring onions and serve with rice.