Dish of Mongolian Chicken
(click to enlarge)

Mongolian Chicken


China - North   -   Mong Ku Gai Pin
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 w/rice
***
1-3/4 hrs
Yes		 This recipe may or may not be Mongolian, but it is delicious. Making ahead, do up to before stirring in the Bell Pepper mix, continue after reheating.

4
1
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1
1/3
1/3
1
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2
1
1/2
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6
5
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1
1/2
2
1/2
1/2
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1
1
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1
1/2

#
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T
t
t
T
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cl
oz
T
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oz

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T
T
T
c
T
----
t
T
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T
T
Black Mushrooms  
Chicken meat (1)
-- Marinade
Oil
Salt
Sugar
Cornstarch
-- Aromatics
Garlic
Onion
Chili Flake (2)
-- Vegies
Bell Pepper, red
Scallions
-- Sauce
Bean Sauce, blk (3)
Sugar
Rice Wine (4)
Stock, Chicken
Soy Sauce, dark (5)
-- Thickener
Cornstarch
Water
----------------
Oil
Sesame Oil, dark
Prep   -   (1 hr - 35 min work)
  1. Soak MUSHROOMS in warm water for 3/4 hour, then stem and slice caps into strips about 1/2 inch wide.
  2. Cut CHICKEN into slices about 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches long, by whatever thickness your chicken pieces support, but not wider than 3/4 inch.
  3. Mix all Marinade items and massage into Chicken. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Chop ONION fine. Mix both with Chili Flake.
  5. Core Bell Pepper and cut into triangular pieces about 1 inch on a side. Cut Scallions into 2 inch lengths, the white and some of the green. Mix.
  6. Mix all Sauce items.
  7. Mix Cornstarch with Water.
Run   -   (30 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil hot. Fry Aromatics for about 5 seconds. Stir in Chicken and Mushrooms. Fry stirring, separating the pieces, until chicken has completely lost its raw color. Take care the fond sticking to the pan does not burn.
  2. Stir in Sauce Mix. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 10 minutes
  3. Stir in Bell Pepper mix and simmer until Pepper is crisp tender (about 5 minutes).
  4. Stir in Thickener mix. Stir until sauce has thickened.
  5. Stir in Sesame Oil.
  6. Serve hot with plenty of Medium Grain Rice.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is for skinless, boneless meat. The pattern recipe calls for Breast meat, which is easier to slice, but I use only Thigh and Leg meat for much better flavor and texture than the dry cardboard flavored breast meat we get around here.

  2. Chili Flake:

      I use Korean flake, which is easily available and moderately hot, rather than the much more vicious South India or Thai flake. 1/2 T Korean flake gives this recipe a very mild bite.

  3. Black Bean Sauce:

      This sauce is available commercially from well stocked Asian markets, but, if you have the fermented black beans (and if you're doing any Chinese cooking, you should have them) it is very easy to make at home by our recipe Black Bean Sauce.

  4. Rice Wine:

      Use a good, drinkable Chinese rice wine, not that horrid salted "cooking" version. If you don't have this, use a Dry Sherry. Sake is made from rice but is not considered a good substitute. For details see our Chinese Rice Wine page.

  5. Dark Soy Sauce:

      This is available from markets serving an East or Southeast Asian community. I prefer a Thai sauce ("Dragonfly" brand) which is not as heavily sweetened as some Chinese brands.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch ar=as required tt=to taste
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