Preparation

• Cook the rice:
  Bring the water and salt to a boil, add the rice, stir and cover. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat. Turn the heat off, let set for 10 minutes, fluff with a fork.
  
  Marinate the chicken
  Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, egg white and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Whisk together to a creamy consistency.
  Toss the chicken in batter to coat. Allow to sit while preparing the sauce.
  
  Make the sauce
  Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions and red chiles (if using) and stir around until very fragrant - 30 seconds to a minute.
  Add in the chicken stock or water.Then add the sesame oil, soy sauce, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, chili/garlic paste, and the brown sugar. Mix this together very well and bring it up to a boil.
  Adjust the taste to make the sauce spicier or sweeter adding a little more vinegar for extra tang.
  Combine a few tablespoons of the the warm sauce in a measuring cup with 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and whisk until there are no clumps.
  Pour that mixture back into the sauce pan and let boil for a few minutes until thick.
  Set the heat to low.
  
  Cook the chicken
  Heat a pan over medium high heat with a small amount of oil covering the entire bottom. Make sure the oil is very hot before you add the chicken.
  Cook the chicken in multiple batches for a couple of minutes on each side to get it crisp and golden brown on all sides. Use a wire screen to cover the pan as oil may splatter.
  Once a batch of chicken is cooked, set it aside on a plate.
  
  Combine chicken and sauce in a clean pan. Mix to combine and let simmer together for a few minutes.
  Serve over white rice with chopped green onion and some steamed veggies