The Everything Chinese Cookbook (47 page)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 egg white

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

¼ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 can mango slices with reserved juice

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon curry paste

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 cup oil for frying

1. Cut the chicken into cubes. Mix in the egg white, rice wine, salt, and cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
   
2. In a small saucepan, bring the rice vinegar, brown sugar, and ¾ cup of reserved mango juice to a boil. Keep warm on low heat.
   
3. Add 1 cup oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, velvet the chicken by cooking very briefly in the hot oil, until it changes color and is nearly cooked through (about 30 seconds). Use tongs or cooking chopsticks to separate the individual pieces of chicken while it is cooking.
   
4. Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. (Wipe out the wok with a paper towel if necessary.) When oil is hot, add the ginger, curry paste, and turmeric. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until aromatic. Add the chicken and mix with the curry paste.
   
5. Add the sauce and bring to a boil. Stir in the mango slices. Mix all the ingredients and serve hot.
   

Velveting Meat

Velveting meat is a handy trick restaurants use to tenderize meat such as chicken, pork, or beef. Why does it work? The initial contact with hot oil shocks the muscles, causing them to relax. The muscles remain relaxed when they are stir- or deep-fried according to the recipe instructions. The result is a piece of meat that is both firm and juicy.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 green onions, minced

1 heaping teaspoon minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon mild curry powder, or to taste

Stir-fried Water Chestnuts and Bamboo Shoots (page 232)

¼ cup chicken broth

4 tablespoons oil, or as needed

1. Wash the chicken breasts, pat dry, and cut into cubes. Cut the green onions into thin slices.
   
2. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, and curry powder and stir-fry until there is a strong odor of curry. Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is well mixed with the curry powder. Remove and set aside.
   
3. Add the Stir-fried Water Chestnuts and Bamboo Shoots to the wok. If making from scratch, follow the directions in the recipe. If previously made, bring to a boil. Add oil as required.
   
4. Add the chicken back into the wok. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the dish is cooked through. Stir in the green onions or add as a garnish.
   

Curry — More Than a Powder

Although we tend to think of curry as a spice or blend of spices, the word has its origins in the Tamil word kahri, a spicy sauce. We have a British official to thank for the association of curry with a dry powder. The story is that, when leaving India, the official ordered his servant to prepare a compilation of spices so that he could enjoy his favorite Indian dishes upon returning home to Britain. Freshly made curry powder is preferable to commercially prepared brands. Still, in today's busy world it's not always possible to find time for chopping herbs and grinding fresh spices. Although this recipe uses a mild curry powder, the hotter Madras curry powders generally work best in Chinese dishes.

1 pound light chicken meat

6 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

4 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

6 dried red chilies

3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Cut the chicken into cubes. Mix in 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 teaspoons rice wine, and the cornstarch, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
   
2. Combine the 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice wine, sugar, and the sesame oil, and set aside. Cut the red chilies in half and remove the seeds. Chop and set aside.
   
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chicken cubes and stir-fry until they are nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok and drain on paper towels.
   
4. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. 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.
   

3-pound fryer chicken

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

½ green onion, minced

3 tablespoons black tea leaves

½ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon Szechwan Salt and Pepper Mix (page 20)

½ cup uncooked rice

1. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Mix together the dark soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and green onion. Rub over the chicken and marinate for 1 hour. Mix together the tea leaves, brown sugar, Szechwan Salt and Pepper Mix, and rice. Set aside.
   
2. Prepare a bamboo steamer and steam the chicken for about 45 minutes, until it is cooked.
   
3. Cover the bottom of the wok and the inside of the wok with several layers of aluminum foil. Place the smoking spices at the bottom of the wok. Place a cake rack inside the wok and place the chicken on the rack. Turn the heat up. When smoke appears in a few places (about 10–15 minutes), cover the chicken with the lid and adjust the heat so that the stream of smoke remains steady. Continue smoking until the chicken turns a deep brown (about 15 minutes).
   

Tea-Smoked Food