Theme and Variations: Singapore Noodles with Velveted Chicken
i didnt have a lot of the ingredients being asked for for either of the recipes i was looking at
thus, something involving parts of both
YOU WILL NEED
two carrots - roughly shredded
two shallots - roughly diced
five cloves of garlic - crushed or slivered
roughly 12oz of rice noodles
1lb of chicken - trimmed and cut into one-inch cubes
1/2 cup of chicken broth or water
1/4th tsp brown sugar
1/4th tsp of finely ground pepper
1 large egg white
1/4th tsp salt
1TBS cornstarch
1&1/2 tsp curry powder
cooking oil of choice (i used peanut oil)
DIRECTIONS
TO VELVET CHICKEN
1) Mix the egg white, 1/4th tsp of salt, and the cornstarch together thoroughly. Then mix the cubed chicken into this marinade and seal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 30+minutes.
2) Once chicken has been marinated: in a large wok or sizeable skillet place enough frying oil to coat bottom of the pan to a depth of around 1/8th of an inch. heat until the oil is close to 275 degrees farenheit.
3) Test the heat by placing a piece of chicken in the wok - it should float.
4) Add the chicken cubes, and let cook until they just turn white, be sure to keep the pieces apart, otherwise they'll stick together. Quickly remove the chicken cubes from the wok as soon as they turn white, and pat them down with paper towels to remove excess oil.
5) set aside for later use.
NOODLES
1) Put a large pot of water on to boil. When it boils, place rice noodles in the boiling water, cover and take the pot off the heat. Let the noodles sit in the water for 8-10 minutes, then drain and let sit in a colander until needed.
STIR FRY
1) Take 1/2 cup chicken broth and mix with 1/4th tsp brown sugar and 1/4th tsp ground pepper. set aside.
2) In a very large wok or skillet, place 2 TBS of oil and put the heat on medium-high. Add the shallots and the garlic. Cook until fragrant.
3) Add in the shredded carrots. Sprinkle the curry powder over the carrot, shallot, garlic mixture. Stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure everything is well coated in curry.
4) add the noodles and the chicken. stir for around 5 minutes.
5) Add the chicken broth/brown sugar/pepper mixture and stir gently for another 5 minutes, adding extra chicken broth or water if you feel the mixture is too dry. let simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
6) Tasty noodles are now ready to eat.
SOME AFTER-THOUGHTS
1) i used only carrots and shallots because that's all i had. adding in a 1/2cup peas or a chopped head of broccili would be tasty too. really any vegetable would make for a good addition.
2) velveting chicken is a messy job. and the chicken cooks REALLY quickly. wear an apron and clothes you dont care about. if i were doing this regularly, i would probably cook a double or triple batch of the chicken and save it to use later.
3) however, velveting chicken is totally worth it. the result is a very tasty, distinct flavor, with a juiciness that you wont get from pan frying, grilling, or baking.
4) The noodle portion of the group comes out less spicy, the chicken comes out very spicy. a pleasant curry kick all the way around. we'll see how it reheats.
thus, something involving parts of both
YOU WILL NEED
two carrots - roughly shredded
two shallots - roughly diced
five cloves of garlic - crushed or slivered
roughly 12oz of rice noodles
1lb of chicken - trimmed and cut into one-inch cubes
1/2 cup of chicken broth or water
1/4th tsp brown sugar
1/4th tsp of finely ground pepper
1 large egg white
1/4th tsp salt
1TBS cornstarch
1&1/2 tsp curry powder
cooking oil of choice (i used peanut oil)
DIRECTIONS
TO VELVET CHICKEN
1) Mix the egg white, 1/4th tsp of salt, and the cornstarch together thoroughly. Then mix the cubed chicken into this marinade and seal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 30+minutes.
2) Once chicken has been marinated: in a large wok or sizeable skillet place enough frying oil to coat bottom of the pan to a depth of around 1/8th of an inch. heat until the oil is close to 275 degrees farenheit.
3) Test the heat by placing a piece of chicken in the wok - it should float.
4) Add the chicken cubes, and let cook until they just turn white, be sure to keep the pieces apart, otherwise they'll stick together. Quickly remove the chicken cubes from the wok as soon as they turn white, and pat them down with paper towels to remove excess oil.
5) set aside for later use.
NOODLES
1) Put a large pot of water on to boil. When it boils, place rice noodles in the boiling water, cover and take the pot off the heat. Let the noodles sit in the water for 8-10 minutes, then drain and let sit in a colander until needed.
STIR FRY
1) Take 1/2 cup chicken broth and mix with 1/4th tsp brown sugar and 1/4th tsp ground pepper. set aside.
2) In a very large wok or skillet, place 2 TBS of oil and put the heat on medium-high. Add the shallots and the garlic. Cook until fragrant.
3) Add in the shredded carrots. Sprinkle the curry powder over the carrot, shallot, garlic mixture. Stir gently for 2 to 3 minutes, making sure everything is well coated in curry.
4) add the noodles and the chicken. stir for around 5 minutes.
5) Add the chicken broth/brown sugar/pepper mixture and stir gently for another 5 minutes, adding extra chicken broth or water if you feel the mixture is too dry. let simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
6) Tasty noodles are now ready to eat.
SOME AFTER-THOUGHTS
1) i used only carrots and shallots because that's all i had. adding in a 1/2cup peas or a chopped head of broccili would be tasty too. really any vegetable would make for a good addition.
2) velveting chicken is a messy job. and the chicken cooks REALLY quickly. wear an apron and clothes you dont care about. if i were doing this regularly, i would probably cook a double or triple batch of the chicken and save it to use later.
3) however, velveting chicken is totally worth it. the result is a very tasty, distinct flavor, with a juiciness that you wont get from pan frying, grilling, or baking.
4) The noodle portion of the group comes out less spicy, the chicken comes out very spicy. a pleasant curry kick all the way around. we'll see how it reheats.