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Non-public: Gluten free chicken reformatted

Gluten Free Orange Chicken and fried rice,
ala Panda Express
by Megan Elizabeth Curtis

 Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• white pepper
• oil (for frying)
• 1/2 cup cornstarch, plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup white rice flour 
• 1 tablespoon ginger-root, minced 
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red chill pepper
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 

Orange Sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 orange, zest of

Directions:

1. Place chicken pieces in large bowl.

2. Stir in egg, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon oil and mix well.

3. Stir cornstarch and flour together.

4. Add chicken pieces, stirring to coat.

5. Heat oil for deep-frying in wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees.

6. Add chicken, small batches at a time, and fry 3 to 4 minutes or until golden crisp.

7. (Do not overcook chicken).

8. Remove chicken from oil with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; set aside.

9. Clean wok and heat 15 seconds over high heat.

10. Add 1 tablespoon oil.

11. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant; about 10 seconds.

12. Add and stir-fry crushed chiles and green onions.

13. Add white wine vinegar and stir 3 seconds.

14. Add Orange Sauce and bring to boil.

15. Add cooked chicken, stirring until well mixed.

16. Stir water into remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth and add to chicken.

17. Heat until sauce is thickned.

18. Stir in sesame oil and orange zest if desired.

19. Serve over gluten free fried rice (recipe below).

Fried Rice Recipe:
Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
• 2 eggs, lightly scrambled
• Gluten Free Soy Sauce 

Directions

1. Cook rice according to directions on package

2. In a large skillet lightly scramble 2 eggs

3. add peas and carrots to defrost

4. combine cooked rice to the egg, pea and carrot mixture

5. add desired amount of Gluten Free Soy Sauce

Tips:

#1 use a wok!!

#2 start cooking your rice while the oil for the chicken is heating up

#3 make sure the oil is hot enough by using one test piece of chicken, if it’s not hot enough and has to stay in the oil too long the chicken dries out!

#4 while the chicken is frying prepare the orange sauce

#5 while the chicken is frying

 I also prepare 3 little ramekins with:

1. table spoon of oil, garlic, ginger

2. chilies and green onions

3. water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch

I was at Central Market yesterday, waiting for my sweetheart to come pick me up (it was raining. don't judge me) when I took a glance over at the trash can.

And saw... this.

I mean, who does this?

It was Central Market folks. Stuff in their bakery is goo-oo-oo-ooooood. If you wanted a cookie enough to buy it, this one was certainly good enough to consume completely, or mostly, or just share with a friend. 

But the real point I want to make is... once done with this bingeworthy bakery bit, the culprit didn't actually have the heart to throw it away... completely. They just... LEFT it there. On the trashcan. So... what... someone else can eat it? Think about this for a second.

"I (sigh), waif that I am, cannot POSSIBLY finish this ENORMOUS cookie. But there are people starving in Africa... and China... and right here in Austin, Texas. So I'm not going to be a wasteful douche and throw this cookie-half away. I'm going to put it right here, so you poor, hungry people can see that it is no longer wanted, so you can pick it up OFF THE TRASH CAN and eat it."

Oh Half-a-biscuit Benefactor, may I suggest for next time... Save the half-a-cookie in a baggie in your purse until you see a child that needs quieting or you perhaps find yourself stranded in an elevator. And if you want to help the poor in Austin, give the next homeless person you see a fully-wrapped whole power bar, a bottle of water, and a little dignity. And maybe some dry socks. 

Geez.