Lemon Chicken

2 whole chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce (light or dark)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Vegetable oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon catsup
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of white pepper
Peel of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced


1. Remove bones and skin from chicken; cut each breast into fourths. Place chicken in shallow glass or plastic dish. Mix 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, the egg, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, the soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; pour over chicken. Turn chicken to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade.

2. Heat vegetable oil (1 1/2 inches) in wok to 350 degrees. Mix reserved marinade, the flour, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken pieces one at a time into batter. Fry 2 pieces at a time until light brown, 3 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Increase oil temperature to 375 degrees. Fry chicken all at one time until golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Cut each pice crosswise into 5 or 6 pieces; place in single layer on heated platter.

3. Heat chicken broth, honey, lemon juice, corn syrup, vinegar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, the catsup, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, dash of white pepper and the lemon peel to boiling. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water; stir into sauce. Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 seconds. Remove lemon peel. Garnish with lemon slices; pour sauce over chicken.


Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Notes: Do ahead directions: After frying chicken 3 minutes, cover and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. Prepare sauce (remove lemon peel); cover and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. Just before serving, prepare lemon slices. Heat vegetable oil (1 1/2 inches) in wok to 375 degrees. Fry chicken all at one time until hot, turning once, minutes. Cut each piece crosswise into 5 or 6 pieces; place in single layer on platter. Heat sauce to boiling, stirring occasionally. Garnish with lemon slices; pour sauce over chicken.

Eric's Note: The lemon sauce that goes over the chicken is just enough to cover the chicken. If you desire to serve the chicken over rice, you may want to double or even triple the amount of sauce made, making enough to cover the rice too.

Source: Betty Crocker's Chinese Cookbook
Copyright: Random House, Inc. 1981

You – Tiao (油條)

You – Tiao (油條)

Ingredients:

5 C. Flour (all purpose)
2-1/2 t. Powdered ammonia
1-1/2 t. Baking soda
1-1/2 t. Alum
1-1/2 t. Salt
1-1/2 C. Water
10 C. Oil

Procedure:

1. In a clean bowl, measure and add the ammonia powder, baking soda, alum, and salt. Then add 1-1/2 C. of water. Mix well. (The mixing of these ingredients will create bubbles and a little noise.
2. Add the flour and mix well. Knead the mixture with your fist. If it sticks to your hands, put some water on hands and continue to knead for 5 minutes. Cover with a wet cloth and set aside.
3. After 30 minutes, knead the dough again. Then set it aside again.
4. After 30 minutes, knead the dough again into a pillow shape. Rub a little cooked oil on the surface so that the dough won’t dry out. Wrap the dough in wax paper and put it in a warm place.
5. Set aside for 4 or 5 hours depending on the temperature (if it is hot, 4 hours will be enough). Put the dough on a floured bread board. Lightly draw the dough. Don’t knead it. Flatten the dough into a long piece 3 inches wide and ¼ inch thick. Use a knife to cut it into 2/3 inch wide pieces. Pick up one strip of dough and turn it upside down on another strip. Use a thin chopstick lengthwise to make a small, long dent length-wise. Pick up each end of the strip and pull it until it is about ½ foot long. Quickly slip the strip into the side of a pan with very hot oil. Use chopsticks to turn the You-Tiao continuously until it is golden brown. Eat them while they are hot.

NOTE: For this recipe, the room temperature should be about 70°F. If the temperature is 10°F lower reduce the ammonia, alum, and baking soda about 20%.

Source: 傅培梅 (Fu Pei-Mei). Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Volume II (培梅食譜: 第二冊).

Note from me: Ammonia powder supposedly can be found at pharmacies. It is supposed to give the bread a crisp texture. If you have a hard time finding it, baking powder can be substituted. I did it at a 1:1 ratio, but I'm not sure of that. Alum can be found in the spice section of your local grocery store.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (糖醋雞)

Sweet and Sour Chicken (糖醋雞)

Ingredients:

2 ½ to 3-pound broiler-fryer chicken, cut up
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of white pepper
2 tomatoes
1 green pepper

Vegetable oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup water
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda

1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup chicken broth
¾ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
1 can (8 ¼ ounces) pineapple chunks, drained

Directions:

Remove bones and skin from chicken; cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. Mix egg, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and the white pepper in glass or plastic bowl; stir in chicken. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut each tomato into 8 wedges. Cut green pepper into 1-inch pieces.

Heat vegetable oil (1 ½ inches) in wok to 350°. Mix flour, ½ cup water, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon salt and the baking soda. Stir chicken into batter until well coated. Fry about 15 pieces at a time until light brown, turning frequently, 3 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Increase oil temperature to 375°. Fry chicken all at one time until golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towel.

Heat sugar, chicken broth, vinegar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt and the garlic to boiling in 2-quart saucepan. Mix ¼ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup water; stir into sauce. Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, green pepper and pineapple. Heat to boiling; pour over chicken.

6 servings.

Do-ahead Directions:

After frying chicken 3 minutes, wrap, label and freeze no longer than 1 week. Prepare sauce as directed except – omit tomatoes and green pepper; freeze no longer than 1 week. Just before serving, prepare tomatoes and green pepper. Dip container of sauce into hot water to loosen. Place frozen block in saucepan. Cover tightly; heat, stirring occasionally, until thawed. Heat frozen chicken uncovered in 400° oven until hot, about 25 minutes. Stir tomatoes and green pepper into sauce. Heat to boiling; pour over chicken.

Source: Chin, Leann. Betty Crocker's Chinese Cookbook; 1981

Note that while this is a Betty Crocker cookbook, the author of the recipe is not Betty Crocker. It is a Chinese lady.

The Wonderful Kitchen of Apartment #4

I must admit, I am no expert cook by any means. In fact, I could probably count the number of main dishes I've cooked myself on my ten fingers. But, in the light of an eagerness to learn, I have started a new hobby: cooking (particularly Chinese cooking). Hopefully this site will help you to share in the excitement of my cooking, and maybe it will even provide a good dinner for you once in a while too.

Note: I will only post recipes that I myself cook or attempt to cook on here. This could be good or bad for you. Hope you enjoy!