The Everything Chinese Cookbook (45 page)

1 pound dark chicken meat

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided

teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon sesame oil

6 dried red chilies

4–6 cups oil for deep-frying

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Cut the chicken into cubes. Mix in the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the rice wine, white pepper, and the cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
   
2. Combine the dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon rice wine. Set aside. Cut the red chilies in half and remove the seeds. Chop and set aside.
   
3. Heat the oil to 350°F. When the oil is hot, add the chicken cubes and deep-fry until they are lightly browned. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels.
   
4. Raise the temperature of the wok to 400°F. Deep-fry the chicken a second time briefly, until the chicken turns golden brown. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels.
   
5. Drain the wok, leaving 2 tablespoons of oil for stir-frying. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, ginger, and green onions. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the chilies and cook for 1 minute. Add the sauce in the middle of the wok and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and mix through.
   

Food Fit for a General

General Tso's Chicken is named after a famous military leader who helped quash China's Taipeng rebellion in the mid-1800s. How the dish came to be named after General Tso is lost to history, although he was rumored to have a penchant for fiery foods.

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 7 ounces each

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 egg white

5 teaspoons cornstarch, divided

¼ cup water

5 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1½ teaspoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon chili paste

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix in the rice wine, egg white, and 3 teaspoons cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes.
   
2. Mix together the water, orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili paste, sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
   
3. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is ready, add the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic.
   
4. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken changes color and is nearly cooked through.
   
5. Give the sauce a quick stir. Push the chicken up the sides of the wok and add the sauce, stirring vigorously to thicken. Mix the sauce with the chicken and cook the chicken for another minute.
   

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon chili paste

½ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts

1. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Add the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and the cornstarch to the chicken, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
   
2. Mix together the dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, sugar, and sesame oil.
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the chicken cubes and stir-fry until they turn golden. Remove the chicken from the wok and drain on paper towels.
   
4. Add 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot, add the garlic clove and chili paste. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the peanuts and stir-fry very briefly, taking care not to burn.
   
5. Add the sauce to the wok and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and add the chicken. Mix everything and simmer for a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
   

1½ cups chicken meat

¾ cup pineapple juice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon black rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ green bell pepper

½ red bell pepper

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup pineapple chunks

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 4 tablespoons water

1. Cut the chicken meat into bite-sized pieces. Mix together the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, black rice vinegar, and soy sauce, and set aside. Cut the green and red peppers into bite-sized cubes.
   
2. Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the chicken. Stir-fry until it changes color and is nearly cooked through.
   
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the pineapple juice mixture to a boil. Stir in the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Add the green and red peppers and the pineapple chunks. Bring back to a boil and add the cornstarch-and-water mixture, stirring quickly to thicken.
   
4. Pour the sauce over the stir-fried chicken and heat through.
   

Or Make It Pineapple-Orange Chicken