Spicy Orange Chicken

I have a precisely vivid memory of the first time I tried Chinese food. It was around the winter time of 1998, I was 17 years old and I also remember my eldest sister Ambareen was recently engaged during that time period. We attended a family dinner event that cold winter night. If my memory serves me correctly, I am almost positive the restaurant’s name was ‘Green Tea Room,’ a Halal (‘Kosher’) Chinese restaurant located somewhere in Manhattan. Chinese New Year Calendars were strategically placed on the round tables as placemats and my sisters and I discovered which animal our respective birth years represented (I believe that year was the year of the Tiger). It was a memorable evening and I remember the distinctive and different flavors I was introduced to, and I also remember relishing every bite. Another fun fact-I even remember the outfits Ambareen and I wore (I had borrowed one of her elegant, traditional dresses). That was more than twenty two years ago. Subhanallah!

Chinese cuisine is one of those that I really enjoy eating but I have only somewhat delved into the actual recipes, methods and preparation techniques, until now! With this newly found time on my hands, I have studied and read-up on numerous recipes in these past several weeks and I then decided to take on the challenge of preparing a fusion orange chicken dish, staying true to the actual cooking techniques, but with the addition of some spices. Although this was my first actual attempt at cooking Chinese food, and specifically orange chicken, it turned out magnificent. The final taste was a combination of sweet, sour, acidic, spicy and just delicious! I served the orange chicken on top of some Fettuccine pasta, and then also converted the leftover orange chicken into a Lo Mein type dish the next day and it was simply fabulous! This recipe is a keeper and fairly simple to prepare. I look forward to learning more Chinese-food inspired recipes with my own little twists and flavor profiles!