Couscous fried chicken with couscous and spiced tomato sauce

Ingredients

For the chicken
700ml/1¾pints vegetable oil
1 skinless chicken breast, trimmed into strips
150g/5½oz flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 free-range egg, beaten
100g/3½oz couscous
For the spiced tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
50g/2oz leeks, chopped
pinch of chilli powder
1 beef tomato, roughly chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
75g/3oz coriander, roughly chopped
200g/7oz cooked couscous
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. For the chicken, heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. The oil is ready when a breadcrumb dipped in will sizzle gently in it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
2. Coat the chicken in the flour, dip in the egg, then coat in couscous. Deep fry the chicken for 5 minutes until golden and thoroughly cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towels.
3. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the leek and chilli and fry for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomato, tomato purée, ketchup, vinegar, sugar and half the coriander. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Mix the cooked couscous with the tomato sauce and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. To serve, spoon the spicy couscous into the centre of a warm plate, place the chicken on top and sprinkle with the remaining chopped coriander.