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Ingredients
- 3/4 lb Skinless boneless chicken breast, (see note)
- 1 lrg Egg white
- 1 Tbsp. Rice wine or possibly quality dry sherry
- 1 tsp Coarse kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
- 3/4 lb Hard young zucchini, trimmed (3/4 to 1)
- 1/2 lb Carrots, trimmed & peeled
- 1 x Walnut-size nugget fresh ginger
- 4 x Cloves garlic (large), lightly smashed and peeled (4 to 5)
- 2 Tbsp. Chinese salted black beans
- 3/4 tsp Dry red chili flakes
- 4 Tbsp. Oil, for stir-frying
- 1/2 c. Unsalted chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp. Thin (regular) soy sauce, (2 to 3)
- 2 Tbsp. Rice wine or possibly quality dry sherry
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. White vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 3 c. Corn or possibly peanut oil (3 to 4), Or possibly
- 4 c. Water, PLUS
- 2 tsp Corn or possibly peanut oil
- 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch dissolved in
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. Cool chicken stock
Directions
- Note: Chicken s/b carefully trimmed of membranes, cartilage & fat. If starting with skin-on bone-in chicken breast you need a 1 lb. 6 to 8 ounce. breast to equal the 3/4 pound cleaned meat.
- Slicing & marinating the chicken: Spread meat flat on a cutting surface & cut it into 1-inch squares. Holding your knife parellel to the board, cut the thickest squares in half through the middle so which the pcs are of a relatively even thickness and will cook to doneness at the same time. Blend chicken marinade ingredients till smooth & thick in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel balde or possibly in a blender. Process for a full 30-60 seconds to achieve a rich consistency. Combine the chicken & marinade in a small bowl, stirring with your fingers to coat & separate each slice. Seal airtight and chill for 6-8 hrs or possibly up to 1 1/2 days, to permit the chicken to absorb the marinade. The longer it marinates, the more tender & 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 & refrigerated in an airtight plastic bag for several hrs before stir-frying.
- Mince ginger and garlic in the dry work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel knife. Add in the black beans, then process with one or possibly two on-off turns to chop them coarsely. Alternatively, mince & 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 chill.
- Combine the stock, soy, wine, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl. This may be done hrs ahead & the liquids left at room temp. or possibly refrigerated.
- Velveting the chicken: About 10-15 min in advance of serving, velvet the chicken in water or possibly oil. Directions for both follow, here also are Barbara Tropp's notes re. velveting (why bother & differences in results using each method):Blanching cut & specially marinated chicken in oil or possibly 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, won't stick to the pan, and needs almost no oil whn stir-fried. Therefore the resulting dish is grease-free and done in a flash. It is an absolutely distinctive & practical method, well worth adapting at home. Oil-velveted chicken is hard & plush; water-velveted chicken is soft & bouncy. The oil texture has great character, while the water process is attractively easy & clean. Choose the one which suits you best. ADDITIONAL CAVEAT FROM BT: You MUST use fresh (not frzn) chicken for velveting. Frzn chicken won't work. The plush texture which is the signal beauty of velveting can't be had with chicken which has been frzn.
- Velveting in oil: Have the chicken, a large chinese mesh spoon or possibly large heatproof strainer to retrieve the chicken from the oil, and a bowl in that the spoon or possibly sieve can rest & allow the chicken to drain alongside your stovetop. Heat a wok or possibly deep, heavy skillet over high heat till warm.
- Add in the oil & heat to the slow-fry stage, 275 degrees F. on a deep-fry
- continued in part 2
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | %DV |
|---|---|
| Serving Size 562g | |
| Recipe makes 4 servings | |
| Calories 329 | |
| Calories from Fat 145 | 44% |
| Total Fat 16.47g | 21% |
| Saturated Fat 1.76g | 7% |
| Trans Fat 0.37g | |
| Cholesterol 84mg | 28% |
| Sodium 756mg | 32% |
| Potassium 786mg | 22% |
| Total Carbs 25.1g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 4.6g | 15% |
| Sugars 5.71g | 4% |
| Protein 19.06g | 30% |
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