Szechuan Peppercorn

Many people are surprised to learn that Szechuan pepper ever is no pepper - the distinctive reddish-brown berries come from the prickly ash tree. Szechuan Peppercorn has a fragrant aroma has compared with lavendar. However, his biggest claim to fame is the powerful numbing sensation, caused it to his mouth. After his marriage with Chile peppers (the other important ingredient in Szechuan cuisine) chefs believe this numbing effect Chile pepper's heat reduced leave to appreciate Diners the capsicum's intense, fruity taste.

Szechuan pepper is in many dishes, including Bang Bang JI (Bang Bang chicken), Dan Dan noodles and Kung pao chicken featured. Recipes call for common ground and roasted the peppercorns. Ground roasted Sichuan Pepper used to make an infusion oil and is also paired with salt to flavorful seasoning. Szechuan pepper is one of the five ingredients that makes five spice powder (the others are star aniseed, fennel, cloves and cinnamon).

 

What is the Velveting chicken?

 

Velveting chicken, a Chinese cooking technique in frying is also used. The chicken is coated in a mixture of egg whites and cornstarch (rice wine or dry sherry and salt are added frequently), for up to 30 minutes marinated and then cooked very briefly in hot oil until the color white turns. After the Velveting the chicken is added the stir fry, to the end with the other ingredients cooking.

Egg white 1 ingredients: 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 large tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups vegetable or peanut of OilDirections:
1. Chop the chicken in 3 / 4-1-inch cubes. You stir together the egg whites and cornstarch into a bowl. Tossing the chicken cubes, or add the egg white mixture to coat the chicken into the mix with the fingers. Marinate the chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Lay out paper towels or prepare a colander to drain the chicken after cooking. Heat 2 cups oil in a wok preheated until the oil reached 275 degrees Celsius. (To test the heat by you a piece of chicken in the wok - it should immediately float). Add the chicken cubes and let Cook until just turn white (30 seconds) to disconnect you gently with a wooden spoon or chopsticks. Remove the chicken cubes quickly from the wok and drain in a colander or paper towels once you turn white.
3. Finish the velveted chicken with vegetables deep frying, tossing and stirring cooking, make sure that the chicken is cooked through.

Velveting chicken in egg whites and cornstarch mixture prevents that there of boil over and always dry. As the name implies, there is a soft, velvety texture chicken. The oil from the Velveting can stored and used by other chicken dishes stir-fry.

The first stage of the Velveting process can be completed earlier in the day. After preparing the mixture, you save the chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use protein and coating the chicken cubes. All that remains is the chicken cubes in the hot oil to cook and add the stir fry you.

This technique works best with wok dishes, which are strongly flavored like such as Kung pao chicken, because the mixture Velveting lacks the variety of spices that are found in a marinade chicken (e.g. oyster sauce and soy sauce). Otherwise, the Court can somewhat bland taste.

Velveting helps more tender beef before stir frying - make, make sure the beef in batches to cook if so not wok trapping necessary. Shrimp is often called velveted also.

Tea smoked duck

Salami, ham, pork and duck are common in Hunan cooking. When preparing this dish, note that the duck seasoned with pepper and refrigerated overnight before cooking. Clean and wash duck 4 6. inspection is used. Thoroughly dry with a paper towel. Rub with salt inside and out. Sprinkle with pepper.?Wrap duck in aluminum foil and place a heavy weight at the top. Cool overnight.

Remove foil and duck on steamer tray. Blankets and steam over boiling water 1 1/2 hours.

Line large wok and wok cover with aluminium foil. Place the tea leaves, rice and brown sugar on slide.

Set a rack over the mixture, or place 1 inch 4 rods Criss about.

Place the duck on rack, breast side up. Cover wok and seal tightly to prevent smoke to escape.

Turn on high heat. FRY tea mixture until it smokes.? Smoking duck too high heat 10 minutes. Reduce moderate heat. Smoke one another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Let the duck in the wok another 20 minutes.

Remove the duck. Cool thoroughly. Rub with soy sauce. Sprinkle evenly with corn starch.

Heat oil in a wok and frying duck 10 minutes (5 minutes on each side). Remove. Drain on paper towel.

Chop into bite-sized pieces. Serve hot with pepper salt and bread rolls.? Can be prepared in advance or frozen after step 10. Thaw and refry before serving.

 

Top beef stir fry recipes

After a quick and simple stir fry, dinner tonight make finding? Here are my favorite beef stir fry recipes, beef CHOW fun to beef with Chinese green beans and restaurant-style beef with broccoli.

 

Low calorie shrimp with lobster sauce

Shawn shares his recipe for the Western version of this dish - White Sauce-that is commonly found in Chinese take outs. (Traditional Cantonese shrimp with lobster sauce is made with Chinese salted black beans). The sodium count is quite high, but you can reduce this by using of low sodium chicken broth. Each serving has only 250 calories.