Classic Lemon Chicken
Source of Recipe
Ken Hom's "Foolproof Chinese Cooking" (DK Publishing,)
Recipe Introduction
This is from Ken Hom's "Foolproof Chinese Cooking" (DK Publishing,
2001). He explains that many versions of this recipe are too sweet. This
one, though, strikes a nice balance between sweetness and tartness. Instead
of the chicken being battered and fried, it is made using a technique called
"velveting" that requires two steps: The chicken is dipped in a mixture of
cornstarch, egg white and salt, then blanched in water or cooked in hot oil.
This adds a protective cover to the chicken and holds in the juices. It's
great for stir-fries.
List of Ingredients
--CHICKEN--
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3x1/2-inch strips
1 egg white
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cups peanut oil or water
--SAUCE--
1/3 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 to 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cornstarch, blended with 1 teaspoon water
--ASSEMBLY--
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions, to garnish
Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Recipe
CHICKEN DIRECTIONS:
Place the chicken strips in a bowl and combine with the egg white, salt,
sesame oil and cornstarch. Refrigerate the mixture for about 20 minutes.
If you are using oil for velveting the chicken, heat a wok until very hot,
and then add the oil. When it is very hot, remove from the heat and
immediately add the chicken, stirring vigorously to prevent it from
sticking. After about 2 minutes, when the chicken turns white, quickly pour
it into a stainless steel colander set over a bowl to drain off the oil,
which should be discarded. If using water for velveting the chicken, follow
the same procedure, but bring the water to a full boil in a saucepan before
adding the chicken. It will take about 5 minutes to turn white in the water;
make sure the chicken is cooked through.
SAUCE DIRECTIONS:
If you have been using a wok, wipe it clean. Heat it over high heat, then
add the stock, lemon juice, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, garlic and pepper
flakes. Bring to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture. Simmer for 1 minute.
ASSEMBLY DIRECTIONS:
Return the chicken strips to the wok and cook them long enough to coat with
the sauce, about 1 minute. Mix in the sesame oil, then turn onto a platter,
garnish with the green onions and serve immediately.
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