sweet and sour chicken balls

[gnc]

does any one know of a supplier up peterborough way that supplys the take away sweet and sour sauce and the large battered chicken balls that chinese takeaways sell,
thanks geof

[vikingaero]

Most takeaways that I know of still make their own chicken balls. Go to any takeaway on a quiet Monday night and they will be busy making stock for the forthcoming weekend. Take a chicken breast, chop it into cubes/oblongs, dip in medium thickness plain flour seasoned with salt and a shovel of MSG. Fry until lightly golden, cool down, cover, lob in fridge.

Same with the S&S sauce. Most places do their own recipe. You can buy "similar" sauce packets from Hoo Hing, Wing Yip, See Woo etc.

[gnc]

Thanks. Was hoping the chicken balls were a standard irem.

[stablemate]

Not sure you’ll be able to buy them pre-made as such but have you looked in Hyperama? We get a load of household type stuff from there and the food section is always full of Chinese people bulk buying including takeaway trays etc so if anywhere here would probably be your best bet in the area.

[gnc]

Thanks. Will see we're my nearest hyperama is.

[Sammo123]

To make the sweet and sour sauce properly most Chinese takeaways use orange and pineapple squash, sugar and potato starch. Apparently nothing else will give it the flavour like squash does!

[vikingaero]

Sammo123 said:

To make the sweet and sour sauce properly most Chinese takeaways use orange and pineapple squash, sugar and potato starch. Apparently nothing else will give it the flavour like squash does!

You're dead right there Sammo. I'd completely forgotten about the bottles of squash I used to see in my parents takeaway. Once the S&S sauce is made they use shedloads of cornflour to thicken it.

Reminds me of the sauce for the crispy shredded beef which uses a mixture of brown sauce and ketchup as the base ingredients with a generous bottle or three of worcester sauce when the batch is made up.

[LeadFarmer]

Sammo123 said:

To make the sweet and sour sauce properly most Chinese takeaways use orange and pineapple squash, sugar and potato starch. Apparently nothing else will give it the flavour like squash does!

I make sweet & sour sauce in 5 litre bulk quantity, and freeze it in batches for later use. The recipe I use does include orange squash, as well as real oranges and other ingredients.

But for a very quick, simple and instant sweet & sour sauce, just add too a saucepan in equal quantities - tomato ketchup, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Heat it up whilst stirring. To thicken it, mix cornflour with water and pour into the sauce whilst its boiling.

I also make the sauce you find on shredded chilli chicken takeaways, which is very easy and tastes just like the takeaway.

[stablemate]

gnc said:

Thanks. Will see we're my nearest hyperama is.

Just off Carr Road (behind Pizza Hut towards the power station).

[gnc]

thanks to everyone,
geof

[SHutchinson]

Give these guys a watch, they'll show you how to cook most of the popular takeaway items the proper (cheap takeaway) way!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZuRdOmjTkCwi8WlS...

Chicken balls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5azRj_8iogg

[ambuletz]

SHutchinson said:

Give these guys a watch, they'll show you how to cook most of the popular takeaway items the proper (cheap takeaway) way!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZuRdOmjTkCwi8WlS...

Chicken balls:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5azRj_8iogg

I was about to post the very same video but then saw your post. IMO watch this youtube channel, they'll show you how to make it the exact way the takeaways make it (whether you think that's good or bad). and will go as far as to tell you the exact ingredients/products all takeaways use so you can buy the same brands.

[Ridealong]

Takeaway sweet and sour sauce that I have with my pork/prawn balls would sometimes have chunks of onion, peppers and/or pineapple.
Ingredients - Tomato ketchup, pineapple juice, vinegar (only to make it more zingy), sugar (only to make it sweeter), corn flour and water to thicken if too thin.

[gnc]

thanks again, geof