Even though I truly enjoy my rice and curry, my children still make funny faces when presented with it. My daughters are a bit more adventurous at least giving it a try, but my son still refuses any dish with even a little bit of pepper. So to make our culinary dishes a bit more interesting, rather than ones that resemble bland hospital food, I came up with my version of treacle chicken.

Sweet and savory, this dish is quick and easy to make, you can also adjust the spice levels according to your preference, making it a versatile dish to be enjoyed by all.

Ingredients

Cubed chicken, if using chicken on the bone, cut into bite-sized pieces

Soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Kithul Pani

Ketchup

Sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Wash chicken thoroughly and cut into bite sized pieces. Put a little oil into pan and add the chicken. Stir for a few minutes and then add the soy sauce. I have not given any measurements since it depends on how much chicken you are cooking and whether you want it extremely salty. Add enough to coat the chicken.

Add salt and pepper. Cover and let the chicken cook. After about ten minutes add a big tablespoon of kithul Pani and my secret ingredient, a couple of tablespoons of ketchup. Stir all the ingredients together, make sure there is enough liquid for the chicken to cook.

If getting a bit dry, either add some water or soy sauce, but remember to add for Kithul pani if adding soy sauce to balance out the flavours. Keep doing taste tests until it is at the balance you preferred. Cook for a little while longer, until the sauce thickens.

Enjoy with a side of sticky plain white rice and vegetables.  

By Mayuri Jayasinghe