White Oil Chicken Balls with Loofah
Score chicken breast, batter, and deep-fry into balls, then stir-fry with loofah and ham, and finish with a cornstarch slurry. The dish presents an appealing contrast of white and green, with a tender texture and delicate fragrance.
Ingredients
Chicken breast (skin removed, score one side in crosshatch pattern, cut into 4 cm cubes, make several horizontal cuts without cutting through)
300g
Egg white
1
Loofah (peeled, washed, cut into rolling chunks)
200g
Wet cornstarch (used in portions)
10g
Cooked ham (cut into thin slices)
30g
Rendered pork lard (approximately 150g consumed)
500g
Fine salt (used in portions)
7g
MSG (monosodium glutamate)
2g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Remove the skin from the chicken breast. Score one side in a crosshatch pattern with a knife, then cut into 4 cm cubes, and make several horizontal cuts without cutting through. Peel the loofah, wash it, and cut into rolling chunks. Cut the ham into thin slices. Crack the egg white into a bowl, add 2 g of fine salt and 5 g of wet cornstarch, mix well, and use to coat the chicken.
2
Step 2
Place a wok over high heat, add the rendered pork lard, and heat to about 40% hot (roughly 130°C / 265°F). Add the chicken to pass through the oil. Once the pieces curl into ball shapes, remove and drain off the oil.
3
Step 3
Leave 20 g of oil in the wok. Add the cooked ham and stir-fry, then add the loofah chunks and briefly stir-fry. Add 5 g of fine salt, MSG, and the chicken balls, and stir-fry evenly. Pour in 5 g of wet cornstarch to thicken, add a drizzle of bright oil, and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
