Angostura Sweet and Sour Chicken

Broccoli, Cauliflower, Persimmon Duo Jiao, Pecan Dukkah, Hot Sauce, Fresh Herbs

Chef Jarrett Stieber of Little Bear | Atlanta, GA

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Adapted by StarChefs | december 2023

INGREDIENTS

Persimmon Duo Jiao:
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 persimmon, chopped
½ pound medium hot chiles, chopped
Kosher salt
Sugar
1 cup tamari
1 cup distilled vinegar
1 cup sugar
¼ cup toasted sesame oil

Chicken:
½ cup cornstarch
⅛ cup distilled vinegar
⅛ cup toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 cup tamari
1 cup distilled vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup Angostura aromatic bitters
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon MSG
1 cup cornstarch slurry

Pecan Dukkah:
1 cup Elliott pecans
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn
1 tablespoon coffee beans (preferably a light or medium roast)
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon caraway seed
1 tablespoon dill seed
½ cup benne seed
1 tablespoon poppy seed
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon MSG
1 teaspoon citric acid powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar

To Assemble and Serve:
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro stems, chopped
Hot sauce
Salt
Neutral oil
1 head broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
Cilantro leaves
Flaky sea salt

METHOD

For the Persimmon Duo Jiao:
In a food processor, pulse onion, persimmon, and chile together until a smooth paste is achieved. Transfer to a nonreactive container and season with salt and sugar. Cover with a cheesecloth and let ferment 24 hours at room temperature. Make sure to leave the container away from direct sunlight. The next day, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring tamari, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil to a boil. Remove from heat and stir into the fermentation mixture. Cover and refrigerate.

For the Chicken:
In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and sugar. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
In a saucepan over medium heat, add tamari, vinegar, sugar, bitters, spices, MSG, and 1 cup water. Stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, then stir in cornstarch slurry. If the sauce isn’t thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add more slurry to thicken. Remove mixture from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Pecan Dukkah:
In a food processor, pulse the pecans until a meal-like consistency is achieved. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside. In a blender, pulverize fennel seeds, peppercorns, coffee beans, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, and dill seeds until a fine powder is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container and stir in pecan mixture, benne seeds, poppy seeds, red pepper flakes, MSG, citric acid, salt, and sugar. Cover and reserve.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a mixing bowl, combine scallions and cilantro stems. Toss with desired amount of hot sauce, and salt, then set aside. In a small saucepan, warm Sweet and Sour Sauce. In a frying pan, heat oil to 350°F. Add Chicken and fry until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer fried Chicken to a large mixing bowl and coat liberally with warmed Sweet and Sour Sauce. Set aside. Add cauliflower and broccoli to the frying pan in the same oil. Fry 30 seconds, or until just cooked but still toothsome. On a serving plate, arrange fried vegetables, fried Chicken, and dressed herbs. Top with desired amount of Persimmon Duo Jiao and Pecan Dukkah. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

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