Hot And Sour Hunan Chicken Recipe - Cooking Index
Hot And Sour Hunan Chicken Recipe - Cooking Index
| Chicken and Marinade | ||
| 3/4 lb | 340g / 11oz | Skinless boneless chicken breast - (see note) |
| 1 lb | 454g / 16oz | Egg white (large) |
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | Rice wine or quality dry sherry |
| 1 teaspoon | 5ml | Coarse kosher salt |
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | Cornstarch |
| Vegetables | ||
| 3/4 lb | 340g / 11oz | Firm young zucchini - trimmed (3/4 to 1) |
| 1/2 lb | 227g / 8oz | Carrots - trimmed and peeled |
| Aromatics | ||
| 1 | Walnut-size nugget fresh ginger | |
| 4 | Garlic - (large), lightly smashed and | |
| Peeled - (4 to 5) | ||
| 2 tablespoons | 30ml | Chinese salted black beans |
| 3/4 teaspoon | 3.8ml | Dried red chili flakes |
| 4 tablespoons | 60ml | Oil - for stir-frying |
| Liquid Seasonings | ||
| 1/2 cup | 118ml | Unsalted chicken stock |
| 2 tablespoons | 30ml | Thin - (regular) soy sauce, (2 to 3) |
| 2 tablespoons | 30ml | Rice wine or quality dry sherry |
| 2 1/2 tablespoons | 37ml | White vinegar |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.3ml | Sugar |
| For Velveting The Chicken | ||
| 3 cups | 711ml | Corn or peanut oil - (3 to 4), or |
| 4 cups | 948ml | Water - plus |
| 2 teaspoons | 10ml | Corn or peanut oil |
| Binder | ||
| 1 tablespoon | 15ml | Cornstarch dissolved in |
| 1 1/2 tablespoons | 22ml | Cold chicken stock |
Note: Chicken s/b carefully trimmed of membranes, cartilage and fat. If starting with skin-on bone-in chicken breast you need a 1 pound 6 to 8 oz. breast to equal the 3/4 lb. cleaned meat.
Slicing and marinating the chicken: Spread meat flat on a cutting surface and cut it into 1-inch squares. Holding your knife parallel to the board, cut the thickest squares in half through the middle so that the pieces are of a relatively even thickness and will cook to doneness at the same time. Blend chicken marinade ingredients until smooth and thick in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in a blender. Process for a full 30-60 seconds to achieve a rich consistency. Combine the chicken and marinade in a small bowl, stirring with your fingers to coat and separate each slice. Seal airtight and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or up to 1 1/2 days, to permit the chicken to absorb the marinade. The longer it marinates, the more tender and flavorful it will be.
Other preparations: Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Slice carrots into diagonal coins 1/8-inch thick. Sliced, the vegetables may be sealed and refrigerated in an airtight plastic bag for several hours before stir-frying.
Mince ginger and garlic in the dry work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel knife. Add the black beans, then process with one or two on-off turns to chop them coarsely. Alternatively, mince and chop the ingredients by hand. Set aside on a small saucer with the chili flakes (chili flakes on the side). If you are working in advance, seal the saucer airtight and refrigerate.
Combine the stock, soy, wine, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl. This may be done hours ahead and the liquids left at room temp. or refrigerated.
Velveting the chicken: About 10-15 minutes in advance of serving, velvet the chicken in water or oil. Directions for both follow, here also are Barbara Tropp's notes re. velveting (why bother and differences in results using each method):
Blanching cut and specially marinated chicken in oil or water prior to stir-frying is a technique common to Chinese restaurant kitchens. The 20-second bath tenderizes the chicken remarkably, hence the process has been dubbed "velveting" in English. Velveted chicken is half-cooked, will not stick to the pan, and needs almost no oil when stir-fried. Therefore the resulting dish is grease-free and done in a flash. It is an absolutely distinctive and practical method, well worth adapting at home. Oil-velveted chicken is firm and plush; water-velveted chicken is soft and bouncy. The oil texture has great character, while the water process is attractively easy and clean. Choose the one that suits you best. ADDITIONAL CAVEAT FROM BT: You MUST use fresh (not frozen) chicken for velveting. Frozen chicken will not work. The plush texture that is the signal beauty of velveting cannot be had with chicken that has been frozen.
Velveting in oil: Have the chicken, a large Chinese mesh spoon or large heatproof strainer to retrieve the chicken from the oil, and a bowl in which the spoon or sieve can rest and allow the chicken to drain alongside your stovetop. Heat a wok or deep, heavy skillet over high heat until hot. Add the oil and heat to the slow-fry stage, 275 degrees F. on a deep-fry thermometer. (275F) Reduce heat or turn it off entirely so that the temperature does not rise. If the oil is too hot the chicken will turn yellow and tough. Stir the chicken to loosen the cubes, then slide them slowly and carefully into the oil. Stir slowly and poke at the chicken w. chopsticks or a wooden spoon to help separate the cubes (do not despair if some of the cubes insist on sticking together) until they are 90 percent done, about 20 seconds. If you are in any doubt drain the chicken sooner rather than later, lest they overcook in the oil. Properly velveted the chicken will be 90-95 percent white, cooked on the outside but still raw n the inside. Hold the chicken briefly above the oil to drain, then nest the spoon or sieve in the waiting bowl to allow any excess oil to drip off. Once velveted, the chicken s/b stir-fried at once. If you need the frying pot for stir-frying, carefully decant the oil into a heatproof bowl or pot. Once cool, it may be strained, bottled, and stored for future velveting or frying. If you do not need the frying pot, let the oil sit until cool before handling it.
Velveting in water: Station a metal colander in the sink and have the chicken and a large flat plate within reach of your stovetop. Bring the greased water to a simmer in a large saucepan, then reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer whereby the water ripples and rolls more than bubbles (too fast a simmer and the chicken loses its coating and toughens). Stir the chicken to loosen the cubes then slide them into the water. Stir very gently to separate the cubes in the water, then allow them to cook until they are 90 percent white, about 20 seconds. At that point drain them immediately into the waiting colander. If you are in any doubt drain the chicken sooner rather than later. Properly velveted it will be 90-95 percent white on the outside and still raw on the inside. Shake to remove excess water, then spread the chicken in a single layer on the waiting plate. Once velveted, the chicken s/b stir- fried immediately.
Stir-frying the dish: Have the velveted chicken, the vegetables, the minced aromatics and liquid seasonings, the oil for stir-frying, and the cornstarch mixture at hand. Heat a wok or deep, heavy skillet over high heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact. Add the 4 T. oil, swirl to coat the pan, then wait until the oil is hot enough to sizzle one bit of minced garlic. Reduce heat to medium-high, then add the aromatics to the pan, nudging the chili flakes in last. Adjust the heat so they foam without browning. Stir until fully fragrant, about 15 seconds; then add the carrots. Stir briskly to separate the coins and coat them evenly w. the oil and seasonings, then continue to stir-fry until they are slightly wilted or curly-looking around the edges, about 1 minute and 15 seconds in all (see note in notes section re. carrot crunchiness). Add the zucchini and stir-fry briskly for 1 minute, separating the slices and mixing them with the carrots. Fold in the chicken with several quick stirs, then pour the combined liquids evenly over the top. Raise the heat to bring the liquids to a boil, stir 4-5 seconds to combine, then level the ingredients in the pan. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove the cover and test a zucchini slice for desired crispness, and cook several seconds more if needed. Lower the heat to medium. Stir the cornstarch mixture to recombine it, then pour it evenly over the ingredients. Stir in wide sweeping motions for about 5 seconds, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove mixture to a heated serving platter or shallow bowl. Arrange several of the carrot and zucchini coins on top to highlight the dish, then serve at once.
Serves 3-4 as a main course, 5-8 as part of a multi-course meal.
Menu suggestions: a colorful one-dish meal when served with pan-fried scallion breads and everyday Chinese rice. To drink, a California Zinfandel. Leftovers are wonderful at room temp, or they may be steamed (though the veggies will lose crunch). Like any dish with chili flakes, expect this one to be hotter on the second day.
Source:
Barbara Tropp, The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking
Average rating:
Unrated, please add a rating
Submit your rating:
Click a star to rate this recipe.