Stir-fried Chicken with Walnut – Grandpa’s Favourite Dish

Stir-fried chicken with walnut is a traditional recipe. While the origins of the dish are unknown, it was one of a handful of dishes shared by almost all people from the north to the south of China. Since walnuts and chicken used to be expensive, this dish was often served during celebratory meals.

I remember my grandpa loved this dish so much that it even the lack of teeth didn’t deter him from eating it. He would say to my grandma, “walnuts are good for the grandchildren. They are good for the brains and hopefully they will study well in school.” Subsequently, I found out that he spoke a half truth. The Chinese also believe that walnut promotes longevity. No wonder my grandpa lived into his mid-80s before passing on.

Stir-fried Chicken with Walnut

Blanched walnut

Walnut                      100 g

Peanut oil                 2 cup + 1½ tbsp

Chicken breast       300 g

Assorted pepper    ½ cup, cut into diamond shaped

Ginger                       4 slices

Garlic                         ½ tsp, minced

Sugar                         ½ tbsp.

Salt                             ½ tsp

Chinese wine          4 tbsp

Oil velveted chicken

Chicken marinate:

Chinese wine          ½ tbsp.

Soy sauce                ½ tbsp.

Salt                             ½ tsp

White pepper         a dash

Sesame oil               1 tsp

Corn flour                 ½ tbsp.

Method:

1.     Soak walnut in warm water for 30 minutes. Peel skin (optional). Drain till dry. Fry walnut in 75°C oil.  Increase heat gradually and fry till the nuts turn golden brown. Drain thoroughly. Set aside.

2.     Heat oil till hot. Blanch chicken meat for 1 minute (oil velveting) and drain thoroughly.

3.     Heat 1½ tbsp. of oil till smoking point. Quick fry vegetables till slightly charred. Meanwhile, add sugar and salt.

4.     Add chicken and continue to fry for another one minute. Pour Chinese wine.

5.     When the wine is about to evaporate completely, add walnut. Fry thoroughly.

6.     Serve hot.

Duck Wing & Chicken Feet Stew – Going to Extremes

It’s strange but when life is tough and spending power low, people get more creative in amortizing their money. When I was young, nothing in my household went to waste. Books were passed on to younger siblings, or, in my case, as I was an only kid, given to relatives and friends. I would think twice about indulging in a 2^nd pair of jeans, and especially, about throwing away perfectly edible food.

I remember vividly how my family would slaughter and apportion a chicken. The best parts of the torso would be used for the main dish, while sub-grade pieces and offal would be set aside to become ingredients for another dish. The bones and feet would be tossed into the stockpot, or, as in this instance, made into a tasty and wonderful dish for nibbling.

Duck wings and duck webs were often deemed suitable only for making stock, yet when stewed, their taste was sublime. I would often cook these underrated pieces with chicken feet or pig belly, and when the dish was kept overnight, it tasted even better. Here’s the recipe I used.

Duck Wing & Chicken Feet Stew

Duck wing                                10, cut into 2

Chicken feet                             10, whole

Dried shitake                           10, soak in water for 20 mins. Drain and keep the water

Oil                                              2 tbsp. preferably lard

Garlic                                        12, whole

Sugar                                        ½ tbsp

Oyster sauce                            2 tbsp

White pepper                           a dash

Japanese cooking wine          ½ cup

Chicken stock                           1 cup

Salt                                              ½ tsp

Dark soy sauce                         1 tbsp

Marinade:

Oyster sauce                            ½ tbsp

Ginger juice                              ½ tsp

Japanese cooking wine           ½ tsp

Light soy sauce                         ¼ tsp

Method:

1. Marinade duck wing and chicken feet for 1 hour. Drain.
2. Heat oil. Gently fry garlic until golden brown. Remove and drain. Set aside.
3. Saute mushroom for 5 minutes in low heat. Add sugar at mid-point.
4. Increase heat to maximum, sauté meat until it is golden brown.
5. Add oyster sauce and white pepper, and continue to fry for one minute at high heat.
6. Pour Japanese cooking wine and let the spirit evaporate.
7. Add chicken stock and cover the pot.  Simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Don’t overcook the meat.
8. Add garlic and simmer for another 10 minutes with the lid removed.
9. Reduce stock until it thickens.
10. Season with salt and dark soy sauce.
11. Serve hot.

Por Kee – A Name That Had Run Its Course

Por Kee Eating House closed its shutters for the last time on 30 September 2013.

That brought to an end another chapter of my childhood. I will miss it much, not so much for its food which was very pedestrian in its early years, but because I had patronized the eatery since the 60s.

The Chinatown that I remember from back then was abuzz with activity. Smith Street -- on which Por Kee was first located -- was a street market by day and sold all manner of exotic animals. Yes, in those days, pythons, monitor lizards, civet cats, and anteaters were displayed in cages and slaughtered live just like chickens and ducks. By night Smith Street was lined with food stalls, many well known even then, and some of which have survived until today, such as Heng Ji Chicken Rice, Run Ji Braised Duck, Tong Heng Confectionery and etc.

Por Kee occupied the ground floor of a two-unit shop house at No. 76 Smith Street. On the street in front of the shop sat a long aluminium table, above which hung a variety of roast meat. On the tabletop were metal trays displaying fried spring rolls, carrot cakes and buns. There was also a row of huge pots that contained cooked food such as braised pork, steamed chicken, and steamed ribs. These constituted the “one-dish” meals popular with working men who lived without families.

As Por Kee’s premises were at the building corner, a side lane ran next to it, and at its the mouth were placed steamers holding bamboo baskets stacked high with dim sum. There were additional tables along the side lane where patrons could sit and watch rats scamper past.

For me, Por Kee became a favourite place to grab a quick snack of fried spring roll or siew mai before heading off to meet friends. I remember in particular a one-dish meal unique to Por Kee called “smooth chicken rice” or “滑鸡饭”.  From its inception Por Kee was never known for the tastiness of its food, but as a convenient and affordable stop to grab a bite to fill the stomach before heading off somewhere.

Still, it was a pity that the final night of this half-century-old eating establishment should end with such disappointment for me. I had seen first-hand the ups and downs of their business over the years. And after eating there on their “farewell” night, I understood why they failed to grow or keep up with the competition. Their attitude was abysmal. One incident from many that night should suffice: when I mildly rebuked the waitress for the inexcusably poor fried rice that we were served, she snorted, “You complain now also no use, we last day already.”

I went away from the dinner with a heavy heart and actually felt glad that they had gone at last.

“Smooth” Chicken Rice

Chicken chop                         4

Chicken stock                         ½ cup

Salt                                          ¼ tsp

Corn flour                               1 tbsp, mixed with 2 tbsp of water

Cooked rice                            12 cups

Chye sim                                 50 gm, blanched

White pepper                         a dash

Marinate:

Ginger juice                            2 tbsp

Oyster sauce                          2 tbsp

Soy sauce                               ¼ tsp

Chinese wine                          1 tbsp

Sugar                                       ¼ tsp

Method:

1. Marinate chicken chops for 30 minutes.
2. Steam chicken until cooked.
3. Divide rice into 4 portions. Slice chicken chops and distribute evenly into 4 portions. Place chicken and chye sim on top of the rice.
4. Pour steamed chicken juice in a small pot. Add chicken stock and stir thoroughly. Simmer and season with salt.
5. Thicken gravy with corn starch.
6. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with pepper.
7. Serve hot.