Mrs. Ma's Chinese Cookbook. Nancy Chin
Chicken
Ingredients:
1 spring chicken
1 leek, cut into small sections
5 slices ginger
1 tbsp. wine
2 tbsps. soy sauce
3 tbsps. flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
Several tbsps. chicken broth
Oil for deep-frying
Method: 1. Cut chicken in half and boil or steam with leek, ginger, wine, and soy sauce until tender. Save broth. 2. Bone chicken and let stand until cold. 3. Make a paste with flour, egg, salt, and small amount of broth from boiled chicken. 4. Coat chicken with this paste and deep-fry in oil until light brown and crisp. Serve immediately.
Fried Chicken with Brown Sauce
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. chicken fillet, cut into small cubes
1 tsp. wine
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 dried mushrooms, soaked and diced
1 bamboo shoot, cut into small cubes
2 chili peppers, cut into small pieces
Oil for deep-frying
3 tbsps. oil
3 tbsps. chiang (brown sauce)
Method: 1. Dredge chicken with wine, cornstarch, and salt. 2. Heat deep-fry oil and fry chicken for 2 minutes. Remove to a plate. 3. Heat 3 tbsps. oil and fry mushrooms, bamboo shoot, and peppers. 4. Add 3 tbsps. chiang. Then add chicken, stir well, and serve hot.
Fried Chicken with Green Peppers
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken fillet, cubed
2 tsps. wine
1/2 egg white
1 tsp. cornstarch
9 small green peppers, seeded and cut into small squares
8 tbsps. oil
2 tsps. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. monosodium glutamate
Method: 1. Mix cubed chicken fillet with 1 tsp. wine, 1/2 egg white, and 1 tsp. cornstarch. 2. Heat 5 tbsps. oil and fry chicken until color turns. 3. Remove chicken to a plate and clean frying pan. 4. Heat remaining 3 tbsps. oil and fry green peppers for 3 minutes, stirring well during process. 5. Add fried chicken, salt, sugar, 1 tsp. wine, and monosodium glutamate. 6. Remove from flame and serve hot.
Note: For extra flavor, either diced mushrooms or diced bamboo shoot may be added.
Fried Chicken Fillet with Peanuts
Ingredients:
A
1 lb. chicken fillet, cut into small cubes
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 egg white
11/2 tbsps. water
B
1 tbsp. wine
3 tbsps. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 1 tsp. water
C
1 clove garlic, cracked
2 slices ginger
4 chili peppers, halved
1 stalk leek, cut into small pieces
8 tbsps. oil
1 cup raw peanuts, skinned (or unsalted roasted peanuts)
Oil for deep-frying
Method: 1. Cube chicken fillet and mix with other A ingredients. 2. Mix B ingredients in separate dish. 3. Heat oil and deep-fry raw peanuts until crisp. Guard against burning. Remove to a plate. (If roasted peanuts are used, do not deep-fry.) 4. Heat 6 tbsps. oil and fry chicken. When meat turns white, remove to a plate. 5. Clean frying pan, heat 2 tbsps. oil, and fry C ingredients for 2 minutes. 6. Add fried chicken and mixture ofB ingredients and continue to fry. 7. Stir in peanuts quickly and serve hot.
Fried Chicken with Walnuts
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless spring chicken (or chicken fillet), cubed
1 egg white, unbeaten
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 slices ginger
6 tbsps. oil
2 cups English walnut meats, blanched
Oil for deep-frying
1 tbsp. wine
1 tsp. sugar
3 tbsps. soy sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp. water
Method: 1. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes and mix with unbeaten egg white and 1 tbsp. cornstarch. 2. Blanch walnut meats in boiling water for 15 minutes. Or cover meats with cold water, bring to a boil, boil for 3 minutes, and drain immediately. Skins should be removed in this process to eliminate bitter flavor. 3. Heat oil and deep-fry walnuts to light brown. Since walnuts burn easily, they must be removed from oil as soon as color changes. 4. Heat 6 tbsps. oil, add 2 ginger slices and chicken cubes and fry for a few minutes. 5. When chicken changes color, add wine, sugar, and soy sauce. Fry for a few more minutes; then add cornstarch mixture and fried walnuts. Mix well and serve hot.
Fried Chicken, Peking Style
Ingredients:
1 spring chicken (about 2 lbs.)
3 tbsps. wine
5 tbsps. soy sauce
5 inches leek, chopped
1 tbsp. ginger juice
Oil for deep-frying
Sauce:
3 tbsps. soy sauce
11/2 tbsps. vinegar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 stalk leek, chopped
1 tsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
Method: 1. Soak chicken in mixture of wine, soy sauce, leek, and ginger for at least one hour. 2. Heat oil and deep-fry chicken. 3. Drain chicken and cut into small pieces about 2 inches long. Arrange these artistically on a plate. 4. Mix sauce ingredients thoroughly and pour sauce over chicken before serving.
Fried Chicken, Paper-wrapped
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. chicken fillet, cut into 60 small pieces
30 slices ginger
30 snow peas
30 small pieces onion or leek
1 tbsp. wine
2 tbsps. soy sauce
3 or 4 oz. chicken fat (or sesame oil or lard)
30 6-inch squares Cut-rite wax paper
Oil