[CH] Chinese Chile Paste Chicken
Doug Irvine (dirvin@bc.sympatico.ca)
Sun, 18 Oct 1998 10:50:15 -0700
Here is a very hot Chinese chicken dish, which I devised by combining
two different recipes which I found in an old West China cookbook:
3/4 lb boned chicken, breast or thighs
1 tbls dry sherry
1 egg white, dont beat, just stir around
1 tbls cornstarch
small pinch of sugar
Cut the chicken into pieces, about 1"X 1 1/2"..mix the egg white with
the sherry and the sugar and the cornstarch and marinate the chicken
pieces in this...all day in the fridge is fine.
1 1lb block of tofu, which has been weighted and cut into squares
2 tbls minced ginger root
2 tbls minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
2 tbls Chinese chile paste
8 Chinese black dried mushrooms, soaked in VERY hot water for 1 hour
1 cup shredded bamboo shoots
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 tbls cornstarch mixed with 3 tbls water
sesame oil and light soy sauce and two chopped green onions(scallions)
Method: Heat about 1/4 cup peanut oil in a wok, until sizzle, and
stirring the chicken mixture around, fry the pieces a bunch at a time
until all the chicken is lightly browned, removing it to a plate as you
go...when all the chicken is done, set it aside and keep it warm.
Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms, remove the tough stems, and
slice into strips.Combine the chicken stock or water, chile paste, salt
and a good dash of light soy, dash of sugar if desired..set this
aside.Drain off all but 2 tbls of the oil and reheat the wok to sizzle
again...add the garlic, ginger root, mushrooms, carrots and bamboo
shoots, stir frying as you add. Add the chile paste mixture, and cook
for about a minute, then add the chicken, stir fry this for another
minute and add the tofu squares carefully. Thicken with the cornstarch
mixture, stir in sesame oil to taste, garnish with the green onions and
serve, with Thai rice....a superb, hot, spicy dish.Cheers, Doug in BC