Two for One Special
As Liz is overworked and in desperate need of some quality 'me' time, I will be preparing two Asian dishes this weekend.
The first:
General Tso's Chicken
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Marinade:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, thinly sliced
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 slices fresh ginger, smashed
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peanut oil, for frying
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus 2 tablespoons for slurry
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 dried red Thai chilies
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 thick strips orange zest
1 1/2 cups low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Steamed white rice, for serving
Put the chicken into a bowl with the remaining marinade ingredients. Stir well to combine all the flavors, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a wok or deep skillet to 375 degrees F. Mix the egg, cornstarch, water, and sesame oil in a large bowl until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Add the marinated chicken and coat it well with the batter. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken pieces in batches until they are browned and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. When you have fried all the chicken, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Over high heat, add the chilies, scallion, garlic, ginger, and orange zest. Stir-fry for 1 minute then pour in the soy sauce, chicken stock, vinegar, and honey and bring it to a boil. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Pour the slurry into the boiling sauce, in 2 additions, until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are heated through, about 2 more minutes. Garnish with scallions and cilantro leaves. Serve with white rice.
and the other:
Chicken in Lemon Grass and Chili
Submitted by Ga Xao Xa Ot
Serves: 4 People
Ingredients
3 lb Chicken
1 lg Onion
1 ea Salt
1 ts Ground chilies
1 tb Granulated sugar
1 c Water
4 cl Garlic
3 tb Vegetable oil
2 tb Minched lemon grass
4 tb Fish sauce(nuoc mam)
Instructions
Rinse chicken and dry well. Cut into small pieces. Peel garlic and slice finely. Cut onion into halves lengthwise and then cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt, garlic and onion. Fry over medium heat until onion becomes translucent. Add lemon grass and chili. Fry 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add fish sauce, sugar and caramel sauce. Mix well. Add 1 cup water and cook 45 minutes or until chicen is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. Makes 4 servings. $ CARAMEL SAUCE: Mix 1/2 c sugar with 4 tablespoons of water in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil until mixture changes colour. Turn heat down to low and heat until brown. Add 1/2 cup water to mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and store in a jar in the refrigerator.
Yes, they're both chicken recipes, but I let Matt pick. He's more 'into' this than I; so he might as well choose a dish he'd enjoy.
Pictures and reviews no later than Monday (I hope).
The first:
General Tso's Chicken
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Marinade:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, thinly sliced
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 slices fresh ginger, smashed
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peanut oil, for frying
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch, plus 2 tablespoons for slurry
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 dried red Thai chilies
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 thick strips orange zest
1 1/2 cups low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Steamed white rice, for serving
Put the chicken into a bowl with the remaining marinade ingredients. Stir well to combine all the flavors, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Heat 2 inches of peanut oil in a wok or deep skillet to 375 degrees F. Mix the egg, cornstarch, water, and sesame oil in a large bowl until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Add the marinated chicken and coat it well with the batter. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken pieces in batches until they are browned and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels. When you have fried all the chicken, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Over high heat, add the chilies, scallion, garlic, ginger, and orange zest. Stir-fry for 1 minute then pour in the soy sauce, chicken stock, vinegar, and honey and bring it to a boil. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Pour the slurry into the boiling sauce, in 2 additions, until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are heated through, about 2 more minutes. Garnish with scallions and cilantro leaves. Serve with white rice.
and the other:
Chicken in Lemon Grass and Chili
Submitted by Ga Xao Xa Ot
Serves: 4 People
Ingredients
3 lb Chicken
1 lg Onion
1 ea Salt
1 ts Ground chilies
1 tb Granulated sugar
1 c Water
4 cl Garlic
3 tb Vegetable oil
2 tb Minched lemon grass
4 tb Fish sauce(nuoc mam)
Instructions
Rinse chicken and dry well. Cut into small pieces. Peel garlic and slice finely. Cut onion into halves lengthwise and then cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch strips. Heat oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt, garlic and onion. Fry over medium heat until onion becomes translucent. Add lemon grass and chili. Fry 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned. Add fish sauce, sugar and caramel sauce. Mix well. Add 1 cup water and cook 45 minutes or until chicen is tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary. Makes 4 servings. $ CARAMEL SAUCE: Mix 1/2 c sugar with 4 tablespoons of water in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let boil until mixture changes colour. Turn heat down to low and heat until brown. Add 1/2 cup water to mixture. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and store in a jar in the refrigerator.
Yes, they're both chicken recipes, but I let Matt pick. He's more 'into' this than I; so he might as well choose a dish he'd enjoy.
Pictures and reviews no later than Monday (I hope).
