Szechuan Chicken (Pakistani Style)
سیچوان چکن (پاکستانی انداز)
The Szechuan chicken served in Pakistan is a long way from China's Sichuan province, and it doesn't use Sichuan pepper at all. What it does have is heat: a paste of soaked dried red chilies and garlic, fried until the oil turns red, then balanced with ketchup, soy and vinegar into a deep crimson sauce. It's the dish to order when Manchurian feels too tame.
- ⏱ Total: 45 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 15 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Coat the chicken with the egg, 4 tablespoons of cornflour and the salt. Fry in hot oil in batches for 4–5 minutes until golden and crisp, then drain.
Drain the soaked chilies and blend them with the garlic, ginger and 3 tablespoons of their soaking water into a smooth red paste.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Fry the chili paste over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the raw smell is gone and the oil turns red.
Add the onion and capsicum and toss for 1 minute on high heat. Stir in the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and 4 tablespoons of water, then thicken with 1 teaspoon of cornflour mixed with water.
Add the fried chicken and toss quickly to coat. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with fried rice or chowmein.
Serve straight away.
Kitchen notes
Fry the chili paste properly. Undercooked, it tastes raw and harsh; fried until the oil separates, it turns rich and rounded.
Use Kashmiri dried chilies for colour with less heat, or ordinary dried chilies for a properly fiery dish.
A name borrowed from China
Across Pakistan’s Chinese restaurants, “Szechuan” means one thing: red and hot. The dish has little in common with the cooking of Sichuan province, where the famous numbing peppercorns are the star. Here the flavour comes from dried red chilies and garlic, which gives a deep, smoky heat that Pakistani diners love.
Make the chili paste first
The heart of the dish is the red chili paste. Soaking the dried chilies in hot water softens them so they blend smoothly, and the soaking water carries extra flavour into the paste. Frying it in oil until it separates is essential, because that’s what turns a harsh, raw heat into a rich sauce.
Crisp chicken, short sauce
As with other desi Chinese dishes, fry the chicken first and toss it in the sauce only at the end so it stays crisp. Keep the sauce on the drier side so it clings in a glossy layer; if you want more sauce for rice, add extra water and a little more cornflour.
Serving
Szechuan chicken is good alongside milder dishes, such as chicken with cashew nuts or vegetable stir-fry, with fried rice to carry the sauce.
Questions people ask
Is this real Sichuan food?
No. It's a Pakistani and South Asian restaurant dish that borrowed the name. Real Sichuan cooking uses Sichuan peppercorns and chili bean paste.
Can I store the chili paste?
Yes. Make a big batch, fry it in oil until it separates, cool and keep it in a jar in the fridge for 2 weeks.
How do I make it less spicy?
Halve the dried chilies and remove their seeds before soaking, and add an extra spoon of ketchup.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 410
- Protein
- 30 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
