ASIAN DELICACIES
CHEF CECILY I. GANS
12.1.04
STIR-FRIED CHICKEN IN BIRD'S NEST ~ CH'UEH CH'AO CHI TING
DRY COOKED STRING BEANS - KAN PIEN SSU CHI TOU
EGGPLANT SZE-CHUAN STYLE - YÜ HSIANG CH’IEN TZU
CANDIED BANANA FRITTERS - PA SSU HSIANG CHIAO
STIR-FRIED CHICKEN IN BIRD'S NEST ~ CH'UEH CH'AO CHI TING
1 lb. boneless chicken breast cut into ½” pieces
1 T egg white (about 1 egg’s worth)
1 ½ T cornstarch
1 T soy sauce
10 mushrooms, sliced
1 cup diced green peppers (½” cube)
½ cup sliced water chestnuts
20 slices carrot (lightly steamed if possible)
3 T diced scallion
1 T peeled sliced ginger
2 T soy sauce
½ T cornstarch
1 T Chinese rice wine or sherry
¼ t salt
½ t sugar
¼ t black pepper
½ t sesame oil
2/3 lb. Potatoes
1/3 t salt
1 cup cornstarch
Oil for frying
1. Marinate chicken pieces in the egg white, cornstarch and soy sauce for at least a ½
hour.
2. For nests: Cut the potatoes into thin shreds and rinse in cold water.
3. Place in a bowl and mix with the 1/3 t salt and the 1 cup of cornstarch. Ideally have
two strainers in order to fry the nests. Place a quarter of the mixture between the
two strainers and deep fry in 350 oil, about 4 minutes. Drain and remove from the
strainers. You can also fry these like thin potato pancakes and serve the chicken with
the pancake as a lovely crunchy garnish.
4. Stir-fry until the chicken turns milky white and set aside.
5. Heat the pan with 3 T oil and sauté the scallion, ginger, mushrooms, water
chestnuts, carrots & green pepper, in that order.
6. Mix the second soy sauce, cornstarch, rice wine, salt, sugar, black pepper & sesame
oil. Add the chicken back to the vegetable mixture and add the sauce. Bring the pan
to high heat and stir. When hot, pour into ‘nests’.
7. Serve IMMEDIATELY.
DRY COOKED STRING BEANS - KAN PIEN SSU CHI TOU
1 ¼ lbs. string beans, trimmed, but not cut
2 oz. ground pork (optional)
2 T dried shrimp
2 oz. “salted vegetable”, chopped into small pieces
2 T chopped green onion – scallion
2 t chopped ginger
(5 C peanut-canola-vegetable oil)
1 T sugar
½ T vinegar, mild Chinese brown or rice
2 t salt – or more to taste
1 t sesame oil
2 T broth or water
½ t MSG (optional)
1. Soak shrimp in warm water about 10 minutes, chop into small pieces.
2. Heat the oil very hot. Deep-fry the string beans until they are wrinkled, about 3
minutes. Remove and drain.
3. Put back 2 T oil into the pan and fry the pork, ginger, dry shrimp & salted vegetable.
Add the salt to taste, sugar, MSG, and broth. Add the beans and stir well. Until the
‘sauce’ is gone.
4. Add the vinegar & sesame oil and stir. Sprinkle with chopped green onions. Serve
hot, warm, room temperature or cold!
EGGPLANT SZE-CHUAN STYLE - YÜ HSIANG CH’IEN TZU
4 Chinese eggplant – about 12 oz., firm & purple
1 T chopped green onion – scallion
1 ½ t chopped ginger
1 t chopped garlic
1 T hot bean paste
2 T soy sauce
½ T mild Chinese brown or rice vinegar
1 t sugar
1 t salt
½ C broth
½ T sesame oil
6 T peanut-canola-vegetable oil
1. Remove the stalk from the eggplant and cut into finger-sized pieces without peeling.
2. Heat the oil to very hot. Put the eggplant in and turn to low, stir-frying about 3
minutes. Remove and lightly press the eggplant to thoroughly drain. Set aside.
3. Add the garlic, ginger and bean paste to the wok. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, salt,
and broth. Bring to a boil. Add the eggplant back and cook until the sauce in gone.
4. Add the vinegar and sesame oil. Stir until hot through. Sprinkle with scallions. Mix &
serve.
HAM FRIED RICE
4 cups cold boiled long grain white rice
2 eggs
½ cup diced ham
¼ cup scallions, cut into ¼” pcs.
2 T soy sauce
½ t sugar
¼ t MSG – optional
4 T canola, vegetable, peanut or corn oil
1.
2.
3.
4.
Beat the eggs in 1 tablespoon of oil & set aside.
In a heavy frying pan over high flame heat 3 T of oil. Add the scallions & stir-fry.
Add the rice & stir to coat the rice. This will help prevent sticking.
Add the soy sauce, sugar & MSG mix thoroughly, never pressing down on the rice
or “flattening” it with the utensils.
5. Add the ham and beaten eggs & mix throughout. Serve!
CANDIED BANANA FRITTERS - PA SSU HSIANG CHIAO
4 Bananas
1 egg
4 T cornstarch
5 T flour
6 T ice water
1 T oil
6 T sugar
2 T cold water
Oil for frying
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl
Add the cornstarch, flour and water to make the batter
Cut each banana into about 5 diagonal pieces and sprinkle the pieces with flour
Coat them in batter and fry in the oil (350) for about 1 minute
Remove and drain excess oil
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the sugar and water and cook until syrup is
reached and a thread is created.
7. Add the bananas and quickly coat. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top to garnish
8. Serve immediately!!