The Everything Chinese Cookbook (49 page)

Deep-frying meat twice is another technique Chinese restaurant chefs have in their cooking repertoire. Besides adding a crispier coating, the second frying seals in the meat's juices. Replacing egg in the batter with vegetable oil helps increase the crispiness.

12 chicken wings

¼ cup chicken broth

½ cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon curry paste

4 cups oil for deep-frying

1. Chop the chicken wings into pieces. In a large saucepan, blanch the chicken wing pieces in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain.
   
2. Combine the chicken broth, yogurt, rice wine, soy sauce, honey, and curry paste. Set aside.
   
3. Heat oil for deep-frying. When the oil reaches 350°F, carefully slide the chicken wing pieces into the wok. Deep-fry until they turn light brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
   
4. Bring the sauce to a boil in a skillet or wok. Add the chicken pieces, cover, and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
   

5 chicken wings

Sweet-and-Sour Sauce with Ketchup (page 22)

1. Cut the wing tip off the wings. Blanch the wings in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain.
   
2. Brush the chicken wings with the Sweet-and-Sour Sauce with Ketchup, making sure both sides are covered. Reserve any leftover sauce. Marinate the chicken wings for 1 hour.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the wings on a baking sheet. Brush the chicken with half the leftover sauce and bake the chicken wings for 30 minutes. Turn over and brush with the remainder of the leftover sauce and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the stove and cool.
   

16 chicken wings

cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1. Rinse the chicken wings and pat dry. Combine the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, sugar, water, and sesame oil. Place the sauce in a plastic bag. Add the chicken, shaking the bag lightly to make sure the sauce coats all the chicken. Seal the bag and place in the refrigerator. Marinate the chicken for 2–3 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
3. Remove the chicken wings from the bag, reserving the sauce. Place the wings on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Pour ½ the sauce over. Add the minced garlic. Bake the wings for 20 minutes. Add the remaining half of the sauce and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the wings are cooked.
   

How to Reduce Splattering During Deep-frying

Make sure the food to be deep-fried is at room temperature. If deep-frying foods are coated in a sauce or batter, use a slotted spoon to drain off any excess before adding the food to the wok.

10 chicken wings

2 Chinese dried mushrooms

½ 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained

½ cup ground pork

½ tablespoon soy sauce

½ tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

¼ teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash the chicken wings and pat dry. Cut through the middle section and discard the drummette. Take a paring knife and, starting with the end of the midsection that was attached to the drummette, carefully scrape the meat away from the 2 bones in the middle section, taking care not to cut the skin. When the meat is scraped away, pull and remove the 2 bones in the midsection. This will give you a pouch to stuff.
   
2. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften. Give the mushrooms a gentle squeeze to remove any excess water. Cut into thin slices. Julienne the bamboo shoots.
   
3. Place the pork in a medium bowl. Use your hands to mix the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, sugar, and salt and pepper in with the pork.
   
4. Take a small ball of pork and place inside the chicken skin. Add 2 slices of bamboo and 2 slices of sliced mushrooms. Continue with the remainder of the chicken wings.
   
5. Steam the chicken wings on a heatproof plate on a bamboo steamer in the wok for about 20 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
   

8–10 chicken wings

¼ teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1 green onion, chopped

2 slices ginger

6 cups dry white wine to cover

1. In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the chicken wings through the middle so that you have a drummette and the midsection. Chop off and discard the wing tips.
   
2. Cook the chicken wings in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the salt, pepper, green onion, and ginger. Cover and simmer the chicken for 45 minutes. Cool.
   
4. Place the chicken wings in a sealed container and cover with the wine. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before