Step 1: Preparing the Chicken
- 8 oz chicken breast
- 1 tbsp egg white
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp Shao Hsing rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, about 1/4" -inch thick. Place into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the rice wine. Add the egg white and salt and stir. Pour over the chicken and stir to evenly coat. Add the oil and stir again to evenly coat. Let sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Preparing Your Mise en Place
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh ginger (about 1/2" -inch)
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic (about 2 to 3 cloves)
- 2 1/2 tsp chicken stock
- pinch of white pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp Shao Hsing rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/8 tsp cornstarch
- 8 oz snow peas
To prepare the rest of your mise en place, wash, dry and trim the snow peas. Mince the ginger and garlic and set aside.
To prepare the sauce, combine the chicken stock, rice wine, white pepper and cornstarch. Stir to dissolve. Set aside.
Step 3: Velveting the Chicken
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to boil. Add the oil and reduce the heat to low so the water barely simmers.
Once the chicken has sat for approximately 30 minutes, transfer the chicken to the water using a spider or large slotted spoon. Stir gently to prevent the pieces from sticking together. Cook for approximately 1 minute or until the chicken just turns opaque. Do not cook the chicken through. Once done, drain in a colander and gently shake to remove the excess moisture.
Step 4: Stir-Frying the Dish
- sea salt, to taste
- 2 to 3 tsp peanut oil
To stir-fry the dish, line the ingredients up in the proper cooking order. Heat a wok over high heat. Once hot, cook the stir-fry according to the basic steps in the lesson. Keep in mind that this dish cooks very quickly and merely needs to be heated through. Because this is a velveted dish, make sure that none of the ingredients brown.
Stir-fry the ginger and garlic for a few seconds. Add the snow peas and a pinch of salt. Add the chicken, followed by the broth mixture. Cook for approximately 30 seconds to a minute or until the chicken is fully cooked through. Feel free to add a touch more oil during the stir-frying process, if needed. Serve immediately.