Sweet and Sour Chicken and Peppers
By Ming Tsai

One of the great things about the food of other cultures is that it’s full of surprise flavors — like tamarind, which is the source of the unique tartness in so many Thai dishes. Tamarind takes tart to a new level, and to balance its complex flavor, there’s nothing better than the deep sweetness of brown sugar. So today, East meets West and sweet meets tart in Sweet and Sour Chicken and Peppers, a super-easy wok stir-fry that gives you an all-in-one meal.

Ingredients
3/4 cup tamarind puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 1/2 pounds dark chicken meat, skin removed, 1-inch dice
1 large yellow onion, 1 inch dice
1 red bell pepper, 1 inch dice
1 yellow bell pepper, 1 inch dice
House rice (white/brown rice combo)
Canola oil to cook
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
In a bowl, combine tamarind, sugar, naturally brewed soy sauce and ginger; add chicken and marinate for 20 minutes.

In a hot wok coated lightly with oil, stir fry the onion and ginger. Add the chicken with a slotted spoon, reserving marinade. Cook until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes, and add peppers and rest of marinade. Bring to a simmer and check for flavor. Serve on house rice.

Drink pairings
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Goslings Bermuda Rum
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Chef Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming. Each week, Simply Ming brings mouthwatering recipes inspired by the combination of East and West into homes across the nation.