Creating a blog was out of the question for a long time for me, as measuring everything in the kitchen was like biting into an eggshell. I enjoy cooking and don’t want to waste even a slightest bit of enjoyment in that small world of mine. But little did I know that everything will change, when my husband came home with the Oscar nominated film ‘Julie and Julia’( a real life story) where Julie Powell (part played by Amy Adams) challenged herself to make all the 524 recipes from Julia Child's cook book ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ and blogging all her experiences (The Julie/Julia Project). It was an inspiring movie. A few days later when we were discussing this casually with a friend of ours over tea…everything changed dramatically…..” How about you making at least half of it in one year? Not French but your own. 262 recipes that will inspire others and present it as a blog?” For a minute my mind traveled faster than light… With an experience as a helper in my mother in laws kitchen for 6 years followed by a three year everyday struggle to satisfy the palate of my foodie husband, if I cannot do it then why should I cook? But on the other side with an experience in English literature extending no more than expanding outline stories in English grammar class when I was 18 and two small kids that come in handy at times, will a commitment for the next one year work? Anyway my ‘cook's ego’ didn’t allow me to say no...

So my friends …here I am opening my recipe book, trying to perfect and present 262 recipes in the coming 365 days….A Challenge that will of course tastes good. Come.. Have a walk with me along my journey.. Cheering and inspiring….Forgiving and tolerating…Testing and tasting….for ‘A Tasty Challenge’

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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Dragon Chicken

Recipe No: 25
When we were in Kerala for vacation last year, my brother took us to this awesome restaurant in Kottayam where they served Dragon Chicken as an appetizer. He selected this dish specially because his family likes it and he was sure that we will like it too… Oh boy!!! It was a real winner…. I tried to recreate it in that week itself, but the dish came much closer to the real one after many trials. So here it is friends, delicious Chinese style Dragon Chicken…just for you all to taste….
Ingredients                                                     Serves 4
For frying the Chicken
  • Chicken breast cut into long thin stripes, washed and drained…1 cup ( heaping)
  • Egg white……………1
  • Corn flour…………..1 ½ Teaspoon
  • Dark Soy Sauce…..1 Teaspoon
  • Pepper powder….1/4 Teaspoon
  • Salt…………………….A pinch
  • Oil for deep frying
For Sauteing
  • Oil……………………………………………2 Tablespoons
  • Celery chopped……………………….1 Tablespoon (Optional)
  • Garlic chopped…………………………2 Tablespoons
  • Green/Spring Onion chopped….1/3 cup (White portion only)
  • Green/ Spring onion chopped….1/3 cup (Green portion only)
  • Red Chilly Paste……………………….1 Tablespoon (I used Sambal Oelek)
  • Tomato Sauce………………………….3 Tablespoons
  • Dark Soy Sauce…………………………1 Tablespoon
  • Oyster sauce…………………………….1/2 Tablespoon
  • Sugar………………………………………..1/2 Teaspoon
  • Cashew pieces…………………………1/2 cup
  • Salt if needed
Method of Preparation
  1. Drain the chicken completely before starting. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients in the marinade section except the oil.
  2. Heat at least a cup of oil in a deep pan and deep fry the Chicken pieces in batches. Separate the pieces while you put it into the oil or they will stick together. Don’t crowd the oil, so make it in batches. If some of them are clumped, separate them once they are out of the oil. Frying will take only a few minutes as the pieces are very thin.
  3. Toss the cashew pieces in a dry pan on a medium heat until a nice aroma comes. If you are using roasted Cashews then please avoid this step. Keep it aside for later use.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a shallow pan and saute Celery and Garlic for a minute. Follow this with the Spring onion whites. No need to saute it for long.
  5. Now add Chilly sauce and fry for 30 seconds and add Tomato, Soy and Oyster sauces.
  6. Mix well and add the fried Chicken and Cashew pieces. Toss well.
  7. Adjust the salt and add the sugar.  Mix in half of the spring onion greens.
  8. Serve hot decorated with the rest of the spring onion greens.
Notes: If Oyster Sauce is not available for, substitute it with one Tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce. That will taste good too.
Don’t use Ketchup instead of tomato sauce because of there sweetness. If you don’t have tomato sauce, use tomato puree. For that put a medium sized tomato in hot water till the skin cracks.  Peel off the skin and blend it.
Add more salt if needed only in the last stage as most of the sauces in this recipe contains salt.
Frying the chicken and making the sauce can be done ahead of time. But mix them together only just before you serve it.







 Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
serve it to your family with love…



5 comments:

Raga said...

Asha,

This is a dish I had many times at Chennai, I never taught this is some thing very easy and I can make it at home....Thank You.
Best thing about ur blog is, Ur showing every receipe in a simple manner which is motivating people like me to give a try immediately.
I made this one & Fish Fry with Mayonisse & Yogurt dip last weekend when I had guests at home....Received may applauses....You deserve them :)
Coming to the dish...I deep fried chicken in oil which made it harder after a while....Felt its is better if I would have shallowed fried.

Raga

Asha said...

Raga...If you want you can shallow fry...But I think, if you have a coating of some sort it is difficult to shallow fry. You will loose much of that coating while doing that. The key to deep frying this is only put small amounts at a time and keep stirring it. It will take only minutes for a batch right?

Raga said...

Probably it turned as I had too many in one shot....next time will try little little in batches. Thank You.

Liz said...

Asha, I tried this one out last week.. came out good in spite of the fact that I spilt some extra sauce while cooking! &%*$%%&*&
As for the frying part, I use a small sauce pan for all frying needs(unless it is unavoidable).. batch frying in less oil, followed by paper towel massage! :D
Thanks, Asha!

Unknown said...

i haven't written a review yet.but now i must say that the best page i ever seen.lots of dishes thank you asha for giving such great recipes......

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