Crispy shredded chicken with chilli and salt

Its a favourite in Chinese restaurants and take aways and I myself am a huge fan of the much loved salt and chilli chicken. After many failed attempts of asking my local takeaway how they make it and getting little to no clues I started experimenting in the kitchen I can proudly say I think its the same if not better than I've had in town. A couple of months ago I put up a recipe for this, and I think I've improved it ALOT since then with the use of panko breadcrumbs and correct seasoning! The recipe amount will vary on how much your making but its very straight forward.

You will need:

• Five chicken breasts , Sliced very thinly into strips
• Two tablespoons of garlic powder
• Two tablespoons of chilli powder
• One tablespoon of salt
• Half a teaspoon of white pepper
• Four tablespoons of corn flour, mixed with a little water to make a paste
• Two spring onions, sliced
• Two cloves of garlic, finely minced
• One red chilli, Sliced thinly
• One onion , Sliced thinly
• One red pepper, thinly sliced
• Teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
• Enough vegetable oil to fill 3/4 of a wok
• Two cups of panko breadcrumbs

First start off by heating the wok with enough vegetable oil as you will need this very hot when frying the chicken.
Cut the chicken into very thin strips and season with plenty of salt and white pepper followed by the garlic & chilli powder. Massage the chicken to ensure all the chicken is coated in the spices.
In a bowl put four heaped tablespoons of corn flour and enough water to make a thick gloopy paste this is what will make the panko breadcrumbs stick.
Coat the chicken strips in the corn flour paste and then dip the chicken strips into the panko breadcrumbs and set aside. Repeat this until done
By this stage your oil should be hot enough to cook in, test this by putting a piece of bread into the wok or even some of the corn flour mixture into the hot oil and it should rise to the surface in 20 to 30 seconds, The oil should glisten that's how I tell its hot enough.
Add small batches of the chicken strips into the hot oil if you add too much at once the oil temperature will drop dramatically and result in soggy chicken.
Fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, it will cook quickly as its cut into thin strips.
Lift the chicken strips out and drain on some kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.
In a separate wok simply add one tablespoon of oil and quickly fry off the garlic, ginger , chilli, spring onions and the thinly sliced onion for about a minute. Add a dash of soy sauce if the wok looks like its beginning to dry.
Simply scatter the crispy chicken with sea salt and sliced red chilli and serve with wok fried vegetables.

Baked goats cheese with salad & warm marinated vegetables

I made this recently in college, I really liked how the crispy herb coating surrounding the outside contrasted with the hot melting goats cheese ,the wholegrain mustard dressed side salad lightened the over all dish.

You will need:

• One inch rounds of goat cheese, sliced and rind removed
• A bunch of freshly snipped chives
• One cup of white breadcrumbs
• Half a teaspoon of salt and white pepper
• One egg, Beaten
• One cup of flour, Sifted and lightly seasoned
• Two tablespoons of oil

For the marinated vegetables

• One courgette , diced
• One red pepper , deseeded and diced
• One yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
•  One clove of garlic finely minced
• Six fresh basil leaves ,
• Half a cup of rapeseed oil
• Half a cup of balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 200, Prepare the vegetables and allow to sit for awhile in the marinade , In a roasting tin spread them the vegetables out evenly make sure there not overcrowding in the roasting dish as they will steam rather than roast.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes as they are cut quite small.
Remove the vegetables from the oven.
In three separate bowls , Sift flour and season slightly with salt and pepper, Then beat an egg for the egg wash then transfer to a bowl,followed by chopping fresh chives and combing them with the white breadcrumbs in another.
Simply slice the goats cheese into one inch rounds and remove the rind.
Coat in the flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs.
Allow to firm up in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes.
In a saucepan heat two tablespoons of oil and fry the breaded goats cheese until golden on each side this should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to bake in the oven at 180 for 5 minutes to keep warm.
Simply pick some fresh rocket leaves and dress lightly in some of the left over marinade and whisk in a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard if desired.
Neatly place the dressed rocket leaves onto the serving dish and spoon on the roasted vegetables and top with the baked goats cheese.