Velveted chicken with garden veg à la victor.wokmanyama (#delicious)

This recipe belongs to Victor.wokmanyama. I doubled the recipe because I’d inadvertently defrosted four chicken breasts (oops), added red peppers, fresh zucchini and cucumbers from the garden and used a star anise instead of 5 spice powder as I couldn’t find mine! Still turned out delicious!

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
• 2″ fresh, peeled ginger root (plus another inch of peeled and minced ginger for the sauce)
• 6 tbsp Xiaosing Chinese cooking wine
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 egg
• 6 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 bunch green onions, white separated from green.
• avocado oil for frying (or something with a high smoke point)
• sliced red pepper and zucchini or veg of your choice

Sauce

• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (only had light soy on hand so left it out)
• 1/2 tbsp sugar (left his out)
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice (or one whole star anise)
• 1 little chicken powder (I didn’t bother)
• 1.5 cups water

Steps

1. Slice chicken breasts into think pieces and pound lightly with meat mallet.
2. Smash ginger and mix with cooking wine.
3. Massage ginger wine and soy sauce into the chicken for about 1 minute until liquid absorbs.
4. Add egg and cornstartch and, using your hand, mix until evenly coated. Yes, it’s messy and yes it’s worth it.
5. Pan-fry chicken over medium heat until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
6. In same pan fry ginger and and scallion whites (cut into 1″ pieces) for about 1 minutes.
7. Add whatever other veggies you want and cook for about a minute.
8. Place the browned chicken on top.
9. Pour in the sauce and water and bring to a boil.
10. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Remove the lid and reduce the sauce until glossy or the consistency you like.

Server over rice of your choice.