Sweet-Sour Chicken Dippers
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/3 cups cold water
Oil for deep-fat frying
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Drain pineapple, reserving juice. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, tomatoes, vinegar, onion, green pepper, soy sauce, ginger and pineapple. Simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the reserved pineapple juice until smooth; add to tomato mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside.
For the batter, in a small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and water until smooth. In a deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Dip chicken pieces in batter; drop into oil and fry about 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and juices run clear. Serve immediately with sweet-sour sauce. Makes 4 dozen appetizers.