Garlic Chicken with Stir-Fry Rice

So, I am in love with chinese food. Of course I'm from NYC, so chinese food is all over the place, but I wanted to see if I could pull it off, and I have to say I did.

The stir-fry recipe is actually MINE! I just changed it up every single time I made, it added in ingredients and taking out ingredients till I figured out the way I like it! My secret ingredient? SUGAR!

How mine looks:

Fried- Rice:

How it's supposed to look:

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 sweet onion
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 2 habanero peppers
  
• 2 Jalapeno peppers
  
• Asparagus, cut in 4s
  
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 tablespoon of sugar (my secret ingredient)
  

Method

1. Preheat large skillet or wok. Add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce to the beaten eggs. Add one teaspoon sesame oil to the preheated wok, and scramble eggs until set. Remove from wok and set aside.
2. Add the tablespoon each of sesame oil and olive oil to wok. Add onions, green and red peppers, snow peas, and celery to wok. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
3. Add cooked rice and carrots. Sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Add more olive oil if necessary. Cook the rice for about 5 minutes, until heated through.
4. Add cooked eggs and green onions, and cook for 1 minute more before serving.
5. Sprinkle tablespoon of sugar and then stir.

Garlic chicken:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ piece fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
4 green onions
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp peanut oil

Marinade:
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp sherry
1 egg white
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tbsp stir fry oil

Sauce:
1 ½ tsp chili paste
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp sherry
2 tbsp soy sauce

1. Cut all the fat off of the chicken and cut it into thin strips about 2 inches long. Place them in a bowl to be marinated.


2. The marinade works best when applied in the following steps. First sprinkle on the salt, then add the sherry and stir thoroughly.


3. Next add the egg white and gently stir to coat each piece. Be careful not to “froth” the egg or it will make the chicken hard when it is cooked.


4. Sprinkle on the cornstarch, coating each piece. Then add the oil, stir, and let the strips marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.


5. While the chicken marinates prepare the other ingredients. Cut the skin off of the ginger and then mince it into tiny pieces and set them aside.


6. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of a knife. Peel them and cut off their ends. Then mince them into tiny pieces and set them aside.


7. Rinse the green onions under cold water and dry them with paper towels. Cut off the bases and about an inch or so of the green tops and discard. Then slice the remaining stalks into small pieces on a diagonal and set them aside.


8. In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with just a little water to dissolve and set it aside.


9. In another large cup, thoroughly mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce and set it aside.


10. Once the chicken has marinated, cook it following the boiling method of the velveting process. To do this, bring a pot of water plus one tablespoon of the peanut oil to boil.


11. Once the water boils slowly add the meat to the pot and cook it for just one minute. Then remove it with a slotted spoon, making sure to drain it thoroughly and to not pick up any of the loose egg that may have floated up to the top of the pot. Place the meat in a bowl or on a plate and set it aside. You may place it on a paper towel to soak up the remaining water.


12. In a non stick pot or wok heat the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil on high. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for just 1 minute.


13. Add the chicken and stir fry for 1 more minute. Then add the sauce and the green onion and stir until slightly thick.


14. Serve over white or fried rice. Makes 3 servings.

Conclusion:
An excellent meal! One of the best I've made, I'm super impressed with myself. Have to say.

Chinese Garlic Chicken and Jamaican Style Rice

How it's supposed to look:



Making Sesame chicken made me wonder about my other fave chinese style chicken, garlic chicken. I looked it up, saw it was practically the same ingredients as sesame chicken and got to work.

How mine looks:





Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 15 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 tablespoons Shao-Hsing cooking wine or dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups chicken stock

Directions

1. Season chicken with salt and black pepper. Toss with flour until coated.
2. Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add chicken, and stir fry until the pieces are lightly browned on the outside, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium and stir in whole garlic cloves; continue stir frying for 5 minutes.
3. Turn heat to low, and add Shao-Hsing wine, soy sauce, and chicken stock. Cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender. Remove garlic cloves before serving.

Jamaican Styled Rice:

Ingredients:

2 Cup Long Grain Rice

1 Cup Pigeon peas [optional]

1 Cup Red Kidney Beans [optional]

1 Medium Onion chopped

1 Cup Fresh Coconut milk

2 Cloves Garlic Minced

2 Teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive oil

1 Large Habanero Pepper

1 Pinch Of Ground Black Pepper

1 Pinch Of Table Salt

Directions:
When draining peas save liquid for dish. add to the coconut milk. with enough water to have 4 cups. In a large skillet or saucepan saute the onion, garlic, and Habanero pepper until there are tender but still crunchy. Add all the liquid along with rice, cover and simmer cook on low-medium heat for 30 minutes. All liquid will absorb and rice will be tender and fluffy. Gently fluff with fork.

Conclusion:

So here it is. I almost went blind cooking this meal. I couldn't find habanero Pepper's so I got jalpeno. There I am cutting and cutting and then I rubbed my eyes. Rubbed my eyes and a few minutes later the burn began. I ran to the bathroom, and stuck my head under the facucate. Nothing happened. I couldn't open my eyes for a good 5-10 minutes and I thought that I my life was over, but it wasn't. I freaked out on my roommate, freaked out on my friend and then freaked out on my mother. Who laughed and sagely told me to open my eyes, take the burn and let my natural tears wash it out. Luckily. she was right. At that point, it was a case of honor. I had to keep my dignity and continue to make the rice. It was very good.