| 1 | Properly made sweet and sour is a delicate balance of flavors, not the heavy, overly sweet combination you tend to find in this country. |
| 2 | Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. |
| 3 | Put the cubes into a bowl together with the rice wine or sherry, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and ?teaspoon salt, and marinate for 20 minutes. |
| 4 | Meanwhile, cut the green and red peppers into 1-inch squares. |
| 5 | Peel and cut the carrots and scallions into 1-inch chunks. |
| 6 | (the uniform size of meat and vegetables adds to the visual appeal of the dish). |
| 7 | Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the carrots in it for 4 minutes, then drain and set aside. |
| 8 | Mix the egg and cornstarch in a bowl until they are well blended into a batter. |
| 9 | Lift the chicken cubes out of the marinade, put them into a batter and coat each piece well. |
| 10 | Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large wok until it is almost smoking. |
| 11 | Remove the chicken pieces from the batter with a slotted spoon and deep-fry them. |
| 12 | Drain the deep-fried chicken cubes on paper towels. |
| 13 | To make the sauce: combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, vinegar, sugar and tomato paste in a large saucepan. |
| 14 | Bring it to a boil. |
| 15 | Add all the vegetables, but not the lychees or oranges, and stir well. |
| 16 | In a small bowl, blend together the cornstarch and water. |
| 17 | Stir this mixture into the sauce, and bring it back to a boil. |
| 18 | Turn the heat down to a simmer. |
| 19 | Add the lychees or oranges and chicken cubes. |
| 20 | Mix well, then turn the mixture onto a deep platter. serve at once |
