Monday, 1-Oct-2007 12:08

Chicken in Sechuan sauce

Today we're going to learn how to cook chicken with Sechuan sauce. This is a popular Chinese food that I saw people eat even in Ireland and the Netherlands, so I guess everyone already heard about it.

The difference between the variety that you can buy here, and the one that I've tasted in Western Europe, is that in Western Europe they make the food extremely spicy, so you need to drink lots of water with it. The local variety that you can buy here is very spicy, but not so extremely much like in the corrupted West.

So let's get started. This meal is for 2-4 persons, depending on how much they eat. First you need to buy 0.5 kg of chicken breast, or white meat, whatever they call it in your country. I guess it would be racist to call it white meat in the US, but that's what people call it here.

If the butcher doesn't do it for you when you buy it, you need to take off the skin yourself




And remove the bones




At this point you should have large pieces of chicken meat, which you need to chop into little pieces




I tried to make them as little as possible, because then they cook faster, and you get the impression that there's more meat than there really is. Mind you, 0.5 kg of chicken meat is a lot




You also need to put some rice into water to cook. If you put rice in a 1 dl glass that should be enough for 2-4 people, but maybe you'll need more




While the rice is cooking, take a carrot and cut it into little pieces




Then add the same amount of cucumbers. I used gherkins because that was all I had at this time, but there was no difference in taste




Then cut some cabbage, about the same amount as the carrots and the cucumbers




At this point the rice is ready so I wash it with some cool water and leave it to dry




Now comes the stuff that makes this a Chinese food. Add soya sauce, around two large spoons of it. I guess that's around 50 gramms...




Then a little bit of pepper, like 1/4 of a spoon. Add more if you're a masochist...




Add around one spoon of powdered onion (or cut your own onion, it won't make any difference)




Half a spoon of powdered ginder




A little bit of vinegar. Don't add too much or else you'll make it too sour




I don't think this is in the original recipe, but I've added two spoons of spicy ayvar, it adds an extra taste. I've also added a little bit of red wine...




Little bit of salt




Mix it all up and that's it. Now just cook the whole thing together.
Take a dish, add some cooking oil and when it's hot, add the meat




Immediately after, add a spoon of gustin. I have no idea what this is called in English, it's something similar to baking powder but it's not the same. Anyway, I guess it's not that relevant if you don't have it




Mix it all up and add one or two spoons of sugar




Leave the meat to cook for about 5 minutes. You can leave it for more if you want the meat to be more roasted, because after you add the other stuff you won't be able to roast it any further




After 5 minutes, add the Sechuan stuff you made






Mix it all up




You should keep it cooking like that for at least 10 minutes




In the meantime, put the rice into plates, creating a bed for the food to put on




After about 10 minutes (but you can also cook it for 15-20), check if the food is ready




If it tastes right, put it on the rice




And dinner is served!




Like I said, this is a meal for 2-4 people, depending on their apetites.