FOODIE WEEKEND : Chicken in Tomato and Chili Sauce

What a feast today we had for lunch!  It was nice to see AB (the older twin) who does not fancy rice, go for a second portion!  It was a victory to me.  He is truly a pasta man while his brother AD is more of an all rounder, eats anything and is less picky.  But every time I cook this dish of chicken to go with coconut flavored steam rice, AB would eat without the usual moan and complaint of having to eat rice!

This dish is a typical dish of my country of origin, Malaysia.  Normally it is served during weddings with tomato rice and other condiments.  It has a great balance of sweet and spicy taste to it.  If you are used to Mexican or Thai food, this dish is perfect for you while it can be a bit spicy for those who are not. I would rate this dish as very mildly spicy to my asian taste bud.

Chicken in tomato and chili sauce

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

2 chicken breasts cut into peices

1 ripe tomato chopped

1 medium size red onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic                                                                                                                

3 tablespoons of tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon of chili paste

2 tablespoon of honey

4 spices (1 star anise, 5 cloves, 3 cardamom, 2 inches of cinnamon stick)

Salt

Vegetable oil for frying

Method

Blend together tomato,onion and garlic and set aside.

In a hot pan, fry the chicken pieces until half cooked.  They should be slightly golden outside.

Set them aside.

In another pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and stir in the 4 spices until fragrant. 

Be careful not to burn them.

Add in the chili paste and stir fry until the color starts to change, about 2-3 minutes

Then add in the blended ingredients of garlic, tomato and onion. Cook for about 10 - 15 minutes constantly stirring.  It is important for the onion to cook properly or you'll end up with bitter taste. The mixture should have a darker intense red color and no bitter taste when ready.

Add in the chicken pieces, tomato ketchup and honey.  You can add a little bit of water if the mixture is too dry.

Once the chicken is cooked, you can add salt to taste.

Serve with coconut flavored steamed rice, cucumber slices and roasted peanuts.

Enjoy!

Tips:

You can reduce the amount of spiciness by reducing the quantity of the chili paste.  Another tip is to make your own chili paste by de-seeding the chilies and boil them in water for 10 miutes to reduce the spiciness. Don't hesitate to contact me should you have any question!