Cheap, Fast and Tasty : Japanese Chicken and Sesame Carrots

Dinner was needed in a hurry last night - I had lost track of time chasing after my boys zooming up and down our drive on their bikes.

As soon as Pappa Bear got home the race for dinner was on.  Everything was ready a little after the rice cooker was done and everything disappeared in a flash.

I brought the chicken when it was on clearance (4 half chicken breasts for $17).  This meal cost us about $6 - a little more if the carrots were store brought.

Japanese Chicken and Sesame Carrots
Feeds 4

300g Medium Grain Rice (this is 2 scoops for our rice cooker)

10-12 Small Carrots (mine are Lady Fingers, straight from the garden)
2t Sesame Oil
1T Sesame Seeds

1 Chicken Breast, about 250-300g
1 Egg
1T Soy Sauce
2T Water
1C Plain Flour
Oil for Shallow Frying

Dressing
2T Each of Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Sugar
4T Water
2T Chilli Sauce or 1 Finely Diced Birds Eye Chilli (optional - I dish up the kids meals then add chilli)

Rinse rice and set to cook in rice cooker.

Wash carrots, cover with cold water in a small pan and set on high, with lid on.  Proceed with chicken and keep an eye on the carrots *

Slice chicken into 1cm steaks, place between 2 sheets of baking paper and bash with a rolling pin till 5mm thick.  Whisk egg, soy sauce and water in one bowl and have flour in another, ready for dredging.   Coat chicken in egg and then flour and set aside for 5 minutes so they go gooey.  In a fry pan heat 1cm of oil over med-high heat.  Shallow fry a few pieces of chicken at a time for 90 seconds on each side, drain on paper towels.

*When carrots come to the boil simmer on medium for 10 minutes until tender.  Drain and set aside (leave element on).  In the empty pan add sesame oil and seeds, return to heat until seeds begin to pop.  Return carrots to pan and put the lid on (or all your seeds will jump out of the pan).  Toss carrots with seeds over heat for 30 seconds or so, done!

Whisk dressing ingredients together - adjusting sweet, sour, salt or heat to your taste.

Serve the chicken sliced over rice drizzled with dressing, with veges on the side.