Beijing Chicken Recipe

Beijing Chicken is a standing dish in Beijing, China.

Ingredients:

5 OZ of chicken drumstick meat, boned, and cut into bite-size pieces
6 OZ of broccoli
4 cup of vegetable oil for deep-frying

Marinade:
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Sauce for Beijing Chicken:
1/3 cup of water
2 tablespoons of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of vinegar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of cornstarch

Directions:

1. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 10 minutes.
2. To deep-fry the chicken: add the chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.
3. Cut the broccoli into similar size pieces, and steam them for 2 or 3 minutes, them place them on a plate
4. Mix all the ingredients of the sauce. In a wok, heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil for a couple of minutes and add the sauce, stir until it becomes dense. Add the chicken and stir well.
5. Pour the chicken onto the broccoli, and it is ready to serve.

Basic Chinese Cooking Equipment for Stir-frying

Although it is not absolutely necessary, a traditional Chinese wok is highly recommended for classic Chinese stir-frying. A good wok should be made of carbon steel or iron. Stainless steel wok is not recommended, since it does not conduct heat evenly. The shape of the wok should be round at the bottom, although a flat bottom wok should also be OK. If you use round bottom wok, you have to use gas stove, while flat wok can work on both gas and electric stove. I recommend round bottom wok and gas stove, since I feel that by using them I can more effectively stir the ingredients.

Pot-roasted chicken with maitake

This dish is especially healthy since the maitake used in this dish is believed to have many health benefits, and the cooking method (braising) can help to preserve the nutrition.

Ingredients:

1 medium-size chicken, trim excessive fat
1/2 lb maitake, already soaked well in water
5-6 pieces of ham
3 slices of ginger
green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of cooking wine
1 teaspoon of black pepper

Direction：

1. Place the chicken in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then put it into a pot, add cooking wine, ginger, green onion, ham, vegetable oil and water just to cover the chicken. Bring it to boil.
2. Add water in a larger pot, place the smaller pot in the water, cover the larger pot and braise the chicken for about 2 hours.
3. Add salt and maitake, and braise the chicken for another 15 fifteen minutes.
4. Add the black pepper before serve.

Pineapple Chicken Recipe

Pineapple chicken is a Guangdong dish. The pineapple is flavorful and has plenty of vitamins and nutrition , which makes this dish an ideal choice in summer.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lb chicken (bone in )
1 cup of precut onion
1 lb of pineapple
1/3 cup of raisin
1/2 cup of precut green pepper
1/2 cup of precut red pepper
2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Marinade:
1 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cooking wine
1 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of pepper
2 tablespoon of water

Sauce Ⅰ
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of pine juice
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of salt

Sauce Ⅱ
1 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoon of water

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the pineapple into bite-sized pieces. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok, stir fry the pineapple, raisin, green pepper， red pepper, and onion. Add the chicken. Mix the ingredients of sauce Ⅰ, and pour them to the wok. Cover the wok and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is done.
3. Mix the ingredients of sauce Ⅱ, pour them to the wok, stir for a while, and it is ready to serve.

Hand shredded chicken salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. skinless chicken breasts
green onions, chopped
2 slices of ginger
3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
1 tablespoon of cooking wine
3 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 tablespoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of water
4 cups peanut oil for deep-fry

Directions:

1. Marinate the chicken with light soy sauce for 10 minutes
2. Heat the peanut oil and deep-fry the chicken breasts until golden brown
3. In a wok,add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and stir fry the ginger and green onions,add the remaining ingredients and bring it to boil, add chicken breasts and simmer for 20 minutes. Take out the chicken from the sauce.
4. Shred the chicken by hand, Place the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over.

Sesame chicken

Sesame chicken is a very popular dish in chinese restaurant. It is easy to cook by yourself at home.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lb whole boneless and skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup sliced mushroom
green onions, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon toasted white sesame
3 1/2 - 4 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

Marinade:
1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil
1/2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sauce for Sesame Chicken:
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

2. Mix together all of the sauce ingredients.

3. To deep-fry the chicken: coat the marinated chicken with egg and cornstarch, add the chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

4. In a wok, add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and stir fry the mushroom and green onions, add the sauce and bring it to boil.

5. Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Spicy Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken

The Kung Pao chicken is a classic Sichuan dish originating from Sichuan Province, which is famous for its spicy cuisine. The classic Sichuan Kung Pao chicken is very flavorful.

Ingredients:

1 lb. bone, skinned chicken breasts
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
4-8 dried red chili peppers - chopped
1 slice peeled, fresh ginger - chopped
1 clove garlic - sliced
1 Tbls. dry sherry
1 Tbls. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 1/2 Tbls. vegetable oil - divided
2 Tbls. soy sauce - divided
1 Tbls. cornstarch mixed with 1 1/2 Tbls. cold water


Directions:

1. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Combine chicken, 1 Tbls. soy sauce, and cornstarch/water mixture; allow to marinate for about 30 minutes;

2. Mix 1 Tbls. soy sauce, sherry, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and sesame oil; set aside.

3. Add vegetable oil to a wok, add the chicken cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Get it out from the wok and set aside for later use.

4. Add a little bit more corn oil to the same wok, stir-fry the red peppers in 2 Tbls. vegetable oil until they turn dark. Add ginger, garlic, and chicken to the wok and fry, stirring constantly. Stir the prepared sauce and add to the wok. Stir and cook wok contents until the sauce is thickened. Stir in peanuts and serve.