Braised Chicken with Ginkgo Nuts
A renowned Sichuan dish that braises young chicken with fried ginkgo nuts. It has a bright, glossy white appearance and delivers a rich, fresh, tender flavor.
Ingredients
Cleaned young hen (about 1250g)
1
Ginkgo nuts (shelled and hearts removed)
250g
Sichuan salt
5g
White parts of large scallions
50g
MSG
1g
Carrots (original data appears incorrect)
1.3g
Clear broth
750g
Ginger
50g
Wet cornstarch
25g
Ground white pepper
1.5g
Chicken fat
20g
Shaoxing wine
50g
Lard (actual consumption unknown)
500g
Instructions
1
Preparing the Ginkgo Nuts
Shell the ginkgo nuts and remove the hearts while keeping them whole. Place a wok over high heat, add the lard and heat until moderately hot, then add the ginkgo nuts and fry until the skin begins to crack, then remove. Cut the carrots into small plum-blossom shapes and blanch until tender.
2
Braising the Chicken
Place a wok over high heat, add the clear broth, ginger, scallions, Shaoxing wine, ground white pepper, and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and braise until the chicken is about 80% cooked. Add the ginkgo nuts and Sichuan salt, and continue cooking until the ginkgo nuts are tender. Carefully transfer the whole chicken to a serving plate.
3
Thickening the Sauce and Plating
Arrange the ginkgo nuts around the chicken. Place the remaining cooking liquid over high heat, remove the ginger and scallions, then stir in the wet cornstarch to thicken. Once the sauce is thick, add MSG and chicken fat, stir well, then pour over the chicken. Garnish with the carrot plum blossoms around the chicken and serve.
