Indonesian Fried Tapioca Starch (Cireng)

Yep, fried tapioca starch! sounds horrendous indeed, but it tastes GOOD when you eat it HOT!!! it tastes like rubber when cold :) 

This recipe is for 12-15 balls

Ingredients:

• 100 g tapioca starch
• 50 g plain flour
• 1 tsp of chicken essence powder OR 1 tsp salt + 2 dashes of white pepper
• 1 stalk of coriander (finely chopped)
• hot water
• cooking oil for deep frying (~1 inch deep)

How to:

• in a bowl, mix all the ingredients except water and oil
• pour in hot water bit by bit until you get the texture where you can mold a ball using 2 spoons
• heat your oil - medium heat, else the center will still be raw while the outer layer has already charred!
• using 2 spoons, mold a ball (the size of a fish ball) and fry till crispy
• eat while it's HOT!!!

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:

• 250 g chicken thigh fillet (cut into cubes)
• a handful of unsalted cashews
• half red capsicum (cut into cubes)
• 1 small shallot (cut into cubes)
• 2 garlic clove (minced)
• 2 tbsp of cooking oil

Marinade:

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp white rice wine
• a few drops of sesame oil
• 1 tbsp corn starch

Sauce:

• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp white rice wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• a few dashes of white pepper
• 1 tsp of cornstarch + 3 tbsp of water

How to:

• marinate the chicken for 30 minutes
• heat 1 tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan. Add in the chicken and stir fry till outer layer is cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside
• add in another tbsp of oil. Add in capsicum, shallot and garlic. Stir-fry till fragrant.
• return the chicken to the pan. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked
• add in the sauce and cashews
• Mix well and serve