Dish of Tangerine Peel Chicken
(click to enlarge)

Tangerine Peel Chicken


China - Sichuan
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 main
***
1-1/4 hrs
Most		 This is a very popular, very flavorful chicken stir fry from southwest China. The recipe as given is pretty mild for Sichuan, but feel free to hot it up if you wish (see Note-6).

1-1/2
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1
3
1
1
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4
1/2
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1
1
1
1
1/4
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2
1/2
1/2
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1/2
1/4
#
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t

T
T
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pcs
t
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t
T
T
T
c
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T
T
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t
c
Chicken meat (1)
-- Marinade
Ginger Root
Scallion
Soy Sauce
Rice Wine (2)
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Tangerine Peel (3)
Sichuan Pepper (4)
-- Seasoning
Sugar
Rice Vinegar
Rice Wine (2)
Soy Sauce
Stock (5)
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Oil
Oil (more)
Hot Bean Paste (6)  
-- Garnish
Sesame Oil (7)
Scallions
Prep   -   (50 min (30 min work))
  1. Cut CHICKEN into 1/2 inch cubes.
  2. Grate GINGER. Chop SCALLION fine. Mix all Marinade Items and massage well into Chicken. Let stand for 30 minutes or more.
  3. Soak TANGERINE PEEL in hot water for 20 minutes, then chop very fine.
  4. Crush Sichuan Peppercorns.
  5. Mix all Seasoning items.
  6. Sliver SCALLIONS for garnish. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.
RUN   -   (15 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil to about 390°F/210°C. and fry Chicken over highest heat, stirring until all raw color is gone, any exuded moisture has evaporated and it's back to frying. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  2. Add 1/2 T Oil. Stir in the Bean Paste, Sichuan Pepper and Tangerine Peel. Fry stirring for around 30 seconds, then return Chicken. Pour in Seasoning, bring to a boil and cook stirring for another 2 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle on a few drops of Sesame Oil, garnish with Scallions and serve hot along with plenty of steamed long grain rice.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is for skinless boneless with all excess fat removed. I prefer thigh / leg meat to the flavorless breast meat we get in North America.

  2. 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.

  3. Tangerine Peel:

      Dried tangerine peel is available in some of the larger Asian markets - or you can dry your own (select a tangerine with strong flavored peel). If you don't have dried, use about 2/3 the fresh skin from a medium size tangerine, a little different taste, but it'll pass.

  4. Sichuan Peppercorns

      Fruits of a prickly ash tree, now again legal in the US. These are nothing like black pepper. For details see our Sichuan Pepper page.

  5. Stock:

      This is not in the pattern recipe, but since I eat it as a main dish with rice, I like a little more sauce.

  6. Hot Bean Paste:

      Real Sichuan bean paste is made from broad (fava) beans, not soybeans. If you don't have it another hot bean paste can be used. Some recipes don't include bean paste but use about 4 dried red chilis. Arbols will do fine, Thai for a little hotter or Japones for not as hot. For details see our Chili Page. Actually, I like the bean paste and a few chilis.

  7. Sesame Oil

      This needs to be dark Asian sesame oil, not the clear stuff sold in "health food" stores.
  8. 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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