Cooking Chickens, Ducks, Geese, and Eggs - Showcasing Culinary Skills

Author: Guo Jia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Braised Chicken Feet with Vinegar
Main Ingredients: 600g chicken feet.
Seasonings: Salt, MSG, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, dried chili peppers, scallions, ginger, cornstarch, cooking oil (primarily vegetable oil, same as below).
Instructions:
1. Remove the old skin and tips from the chicken feet, rinse them, and blanch in boiling water. Then, rinse with cold water.
2. Place the chicken feet in a large bowl, add salt, MSG, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, minced dried chili peppers, and minced ginger. Cover with a steamer and steam for 1 hour until the chicken feet are tender.
3. Heat a wok, add the chicken feet and their original juices, and pour in cooking oil. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. Add MSG and minced scallions, stir well, thicken with cornstarch, and serve.
Characteristics:
The chicken feet are soft, chewy, and fragrant, falling off the bone without losing their shape.
Tips for Operation:
Clean the chicken feet thoroughly, blanch them in boiling water to remove the fishy smell.
Note:
Vinegar, also known as "bitter wine," is believed in traditional Chinese medicine to have benefits such as dispersing blood clots, stopping bleeding, detoxifying, and killing insects. It also aids in stimulating the appetite, strengthening the spleen, calming the mind, lowering blood pressure, treating rheumatism, and preventing influenza. Adding vinegar to dishes can help preserve the vitamin C in food.
Spicy Chicken Dices
Main Ingredients: 300g chicken thigh meat.
Ingredients: 150g green peppers, 20g pickled chili peppers.
Seasonings: Minced ginger, minced garlic, minced scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, Shaoxing wine, salt, MSG, chicken broth, cornstarch, sesame oil, cooking oil (as needed).
Instructions:
1. Cut the chicken thigh meat into 1.2 cm cubes, marinate with salt, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. Wash and remove the stems and seeds from the green peppers.
2. Mix soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, MSG, sesame oil, cornstarch, and chicken broth to create a sauce.
3. Heat a wok, add a small amount of cooking oil, and when it reaches 150°C, add the chicken cubes until they change color. Add minced pickled chili peppers and stir until the oil turns red. Add green pepper pieces, minced scallions, minced ginger, and minced garlic to release the aroma. Pour in the sauce, drizzle with vinegar and sesame oil, stir well, and serve.
Characteristics:
The dish has a bright red color, tender texture, spicy without being harsh, and a rich, mellow flavor.
Tips for Operation:
Stir-fry the chicken cubes quickly to ensure even heating. Minced pickled chili peppers should be fine to release flavor easily.
Note:
Chili peppers, also known as "Chinese peppers," "pepper eggplants," or "fiery tigers," are warming and nourishing foods. Consuming them regularly can warm the stomach, improve digestion, and promote overall health. They are suitable for those with cold stomachs, poor appetite, or digestive issues. However, excessive consumption of chili peppers may cause internal heat, so those with Yin deficiency, dry cough, or eye problems should avoid them.