Velvet Chicken Food

CHICKEN STIR-FRY IN 4 EASY STEPS

Steps:

• Velveting the chicken: Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Beat together the egg white and 1 tbsp cornflour in a bowl. Tip in the chicken and coat with the mix (see Know-how, top right). Marinate for 15-30 mins (don't place in the fridge or the mix will harden). Now rinse the rice in a sieve under the cold tap until the water runs clear.
• Making perfect rice: Drain the rice, tip into a pan with a lid and pour over 600ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring the water to the boil, then cook the rice uncovered for 10 mins or so until the water has almost boiled away and small craters appear. Cover with a lid, turn the heat down as low as it will go and cook for 10 mins more.
• Getting the ingredients ready: Strip the ginger skin with a teaspoon and finely chop until you have 1 tbsp. Halve the pepper and trim off the stalk, inner pith and seeds. Cut into bite-size pieces. Peel the shallot and garlic clove, then thinly slice. Trim the ends off the chilli, if using, removing the seeds if you like it milder, and cut into thin slices. Remove the chicken from the egg marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Foolproof stir-frying: Heat a wok and pour in 1 tbsp oil. Cook the chicken for 7-10 mins, tossing until just cooked. Set aside. Pour in some more oil if you need to. Add the pepper and cook for 1 min, then cook the ginger, shallot and garlic for 1-2 mins more. Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, 50ml water and 1 tsp cornflour. Tip into the wok, then add the chicken. Cook for 1 min, stir through the basil, then serve with the rice.

VELVETING CHICKEN BREAST, CHINESE RESTAURANT-STYLE

Steps:

• Whisk egg white, vinegar, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl until marinade is smooth. Add chicken; cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• Bring water and oil to a boil in a pot over high heat. Reduce heat to medium.
• Pour excess marinade off the chicken. Add chicken to the pot; boil until white on the outside but still raw in the middle, about 1 minute. Strain off excess liquid.
• Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container until ready to use, up to a few hours. Heat until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

CHINESE VELVET CHICKEN

Steps:

• Peel and grate ginger.
• Finely mince garlic cloves.
• Mix ground chicken with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, 1/2 cup chicken stock.
• Lightly beat and gently fold in egg whites.
• Thinly slice mushrooms.
• Chop water chestnuts.
• Heat peanut oil in wok to frying temperature of 375°.
• Drop chicken mixture by rounded spoonful 5 or 6 at a time.
• You should taste test to be sure seasoning is to your liking.
• Finish frying chicken.
• Drain oil from wok.
• Stir fry snap peas, mushrooms, water chestnuts.
• Return chicken to wok.
• Add chili paste & soy sauce.
• Stir corn starch and chicken stock together.
• Pour into wok and toss to coat meat & vegetables; allow to thicken.
• Serve over white rice.
• Ground chicken, chili paste, mushroom soy sauce and fresh shiitaki mushrooms can all be found in Asian markets.

VELVETED CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS AND BOK CHOY

Steps:

• For the velveted chicken: Place the chicken in a medium bowl. Add the cornstarch, baking soda, oil, 2 teaspoons of water and a pinch of salt and stir into the chicken until well incorporated. Let marinate at room temperature while you do the knife work for the vegetables. Or cover the chicken and let marinate in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• For the stir-fry: When ready to cook, bring about 4 inches water to a boil in a 4- to 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the marinated chicken, stirring gently and constantly for about 2 minutes. The chicken will start out pink, turn opaque and white, then float to the top. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon or spider and reserve until it's time to stir-fry. You can also hold the pre-cooked chicken for a few days in the refrigerator.
• Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Swirl in the oil then immediately stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mushrooms. The mushrooms will sear then start to release their moisture. Cook, stirring every 20 seconds, until the mushrooms look soft and almost ready to eat, about 2 minutes.
• Add the baby bok choy and bell peppers and stir-fry until they just start to soften and pick up some color, about 30 seconds.
• Add the chicken, scallions, oyster sauce, mushroom soy sauce, chicken powder and scallions and work all the sauces into the stir-fry, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Give the dish a light dusting with white pepper right before serving.

VELVET CHICKEN AND SPINACH SOUP

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the chicken until finely chopped.
• Add the arrowroot powder or cornstarch, salt, ice water, and egg white to the chopped chicken in the food processor bowl. Process until a velvety paste develops, about 1 minute.
• Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil, shallot and mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots are slightly softened, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Toss in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour in the broth. Increase the heat to high to bring the soup to a boil.
• Turn the heat down to medium and add the coconut aminos or soy sauce and fish sauce to the soup. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
• Add the chicken paste to the broth and, working quickly, use a spatula to break it up.
• Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, then stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute more.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed and serve.

VELVET CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine everything except the chicken and cilantro in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
• Add the chicken, breast side down, reduce the heat, cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the pot undisturbed 30 minutes. Turn the chicken over, breast side up, recover and let stand another 15 minutes.
• Carve the chicken as usual. Serve with a few spoonfuls of broth and garnish with cilantro. The rest of the broth can be used to make ramen or rice, or toss the chicken bones back into the broth and simmer another 2 hours to make Asian chicken stock.