If you love sweet and sour, you’d love this variation using navel orange and plum.
No, they are not used for dessert. N’uh! But rather as part of the main meal because this month’s challenge as declared by Gen over at Eat, Play and Clove requires for a fruit dish.
At first I beamed when I saw the word “fruit dish” as I thought I had an idea of making something that looks like fruit but isn’t.
But that idea was quickly trashed when Gen upped her ante stating that the fruit dish cannot be desert and has to be incorporated as cooked fruit to complement the main dish with meat like using the fruit for a sauce. Now, THAT is even more exciting!
It may sound basic, but basic is good. And basic would sometimes give you the most flavourful of fruit-based dishes that would leave you craving for more.
That doesn’t mean I won’t revive the idea of making something that looks like fruit but isn’t, though . It’s definitely something for next time!
So a few ideas popped into my head: One being my mum’s recipe using pineapple but that is more of a side dish rather than a main. And another being one of my favourite go-to Sweet and Sour Chinese-inspired dish.
I figured I could do the latter with a little of my own twist in response to Gen’s challenge, using navel orange, plum and orange chillies for kicks.
Why orange chillies, you ask? If you are not asking, I’m going to tell you anyway.
The only reason for that was because those were the only chillies I have in the fridge and I bought them because I got bored of the usual green and red fare. They are also typically a lot hotter than the reds and the greens.
But that didn’t matter because when all the ingredients are mixed in together, they all fused into this wonderful, explosive flavours. The plum gave the sourish-sweet taste and the use of orange gave the sauce that ever slight kick of tanginess.
In the name of making a healthier dish, I also decided to bake my chicken instead of frying them. And you know what, I like the taste of the baked chicken much, much better!
Here we go with Grubbs ‘n Critters’ last exploit from Thailand for Monthly Mystery Munchies #13:
- 6-8 pieces boneless and skinless chicken breast (cut)
- 1 tspn turmeric powder
- 1 tspn Worcestershire
- Half a tspn of salt
- 1 big yellow onion (chopped into big squares)
- 1 green bell pepper (cut into squares)
- 2-3 orange peppers (sliced)
- 2-3 fresh tomatoes (sliced)
- Half tspn sesame oil
- 6-8 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tbsp plum sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- Half a navel orange
- Half a plum, remove skin and slice thin
- A pinch of white pepper powder
- 2 sprigs of chopped spring onion
- Some water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Cut the chicken breast meat into bite-size cubes and mix well with the salt, dry turmeric powder and Worcestershire sauce. Bake on high for 20 mins or until the chicken turns golden and slightly crispy
- Heat up cooking oil in wok. Add garlic and saute.
- Then add in the yellow onions and bell peppers. Stir-fry until you smell the aroma and add in the sliced chillies.
- Add in all the ingredients for the sauce all at once.
- Add in the thinly sliced plum. Cook till it's softened to a mush.
- Squeeze the orange and grate the skin. Mix well and bring it to boil.
- Toss in the baked chicken, add the sliced tomatoes, chopped spring onions, do a few quick stirs.
- Add some water if it get's too dry.
- Dish out and garnish with chopped coriander.
- Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
- Notes
- The base is quite similar to making Sweet and Sour Chicken. The only difference here is the use of more plum sauce along with fresh thinly sliced plum and the addition of navel orange.
Come with me and head on over to Gen’s kitchen and see what she has come up with the use of cooked fruit. This ought to be good!
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Monthly Mystery Munchies features every first Friday of the month in collaboration with Gen, Author of Eat, Play, Clove. Now that the next month’s challenge has already been unleashed, the experiment will begin.
Stay tuned with next month’s edition from the Netherlands!
