CANTONESE CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES
ALLA LINDA

Serves 4 as a single course meal, with rice or 8 as part of a Chinese dinner.

You may use a variety of veggies of your choice. You may use one veggie , or, a combination of veggies. This recipe is based upon using any combination of 2 cups of fresh vegetables.

For some reason, I had not thought about adding this recipe to my internet collection. That is, until a new cyber pal, Linda, asked if I had a recipe for Chicken and Broccoli.

I have prepared this recipe many times, using a combination of veggies; such as, carrots, peapods and bok choy. I also like to add a few sliced black mushrooms, their soaking liquid and a minced garlic clove to add a somewhat mysterious, but complex flavor. You too, should experiment. Perhaps use hoisin or oyster flavor sauce in place of, or, in combination with the soy sauce. That's what cooking is all about! Experimentation and what "YOU" personally like.

Here is a list of some veggies that can be used, singly or in combination.

Choose your veggies

  • Asparagus, trimmed, par-boiled for 3 minutes and sliced into 1 1/2 inch lengths.
  • Bamboo shoots, Use canned, it's easier. Drain and slice into thin strips.
  • Broccoli, Remove flowerettes, cut into serving size clusters. Trim outer stems, quarter and diagonally slice into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Parboil 3 minutes and flowers about 1 minute. Do not over-cook flowerettes.
  • Carrots, julienne, dice or shread. Par-boil 2 to 3 minutes. Do not over-cook.
  • Celery, no par-boiling required, but, cut into 3/8 inch diagonal slices.
  • Cauliflower, Same as for broccoli.

  • Onion, cut into small wedges. No par-boiling required.
  • Peas, green. Fresh or frozen. Parboil 3 minutes.
  • Pea pods, trim only. No parboiling required.
  • Peppers, bell, green or red. Remove seeds and cut into 1/2 inch squares or 1/4 inch wide strips.
  • Scallions, spring onions, trim to 1 1/2 inches above white part. Cut into 1/2 inch lengths. No par boiling required.
  • String beans, trim and cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch lengths or julienne. Par-boiling not required. However, if they are tough old beans you might want to parboil for about 2 minutes or to a very crisp tender stage.

Chinese stir-fry cooking is a very rapid method of food preparation. Therefore, as with all Chinese recipes, the entire ingredient grouping must be preped and should be lined-up in order of usage.

No special equipment is needed to prepare a stir-fried recipe. You will need a large heavy bottomed fry/saute pan. However, I think you will find that a pressed steel wok will make the job easier and is fun to use. Pressed steel is the material of choice for a wok. Electric woks are not recommended. They can not supply the high cooking temperatures necessary for successful "woking." I have other non-steel woks and they do not perform as well as the steel ones.

A steel wok with a wooden handle, see picture, is my preferred utensil.

INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

  1. Prepare and marinade chicken.


COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Place fry-pan or wok over large burner set to "High." The burner temprature always remains on the high setting through-out the stir-frying process. (High frying temps are necessary to quickly sear food and not steam it. If you steam your meat, it will be tough.




  2. Add the stock. Cook and stir for 1 minute, or until the sauce thickens.


  3. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

NOTE: I prefer to stir-fry my chicken slices first. Then remove from pan/wok, leaving as much oil as possible, and reserve.

Without cleaning pan/wok return to high heat and dump in the veggies and cook for 2 minutes. Then return the chicken slices, stir about a bit, and add the stock and cook to thicken. Do not overcook or your veggies will be mushy instead of "crisp-tender."

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