Recipe - Deep-Fried Paper-Wrapped Chicken

1 (large) chicken breast
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sherry
Parchment or wax paper
Oil for deepfrying

1. Skin and bone chicken breast. Cut either in 11/2inch cubes; or against
the grain in 1/4inch slices, then in 1 by 11/2inch strips.

2. Combine soy sauce and sherry; add to chicken and toss lightly. Let stand
30 minutes, turning occasionally. Then drain, discarding marinade.

3. Meanwhile cut parchment or wax paper in 20 to 30 4inch squares. Wrap
each piece of chicken, envelopestyle, in a square of paper (see "Howto
Section").

4. Heat oil nearly to smoking. Add paperwrapped chicken, a few pieces at a
time, then reduce heat immediately. Deepfry, flapside down, until done (3
to 5 minutes). Drain on paper toweling.

5. Repeat process until all pieces are cooked, reheating oil each time.
Serve hot in wrappers. (To eat, the diner breaks open the paper envelopes
one at a time with chopsticks or fork.)

NOTE: This dish is served frequently at banquets and must be eaten hot. It
may be kept warm a few minutes in a slow oven (200 degrees), but should
never be reheated or it will toughen. VARIATIONS:

1. In step 2, add to the marinade any of the following:

a. 2 slices fresh ginger root, minced; and/or 1 scallion stalk, minced

b. 1 tablespoon peanut oil, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, One half teaspoon salt, 1/2
teaspoon sugar, dash of pepper

c. dash of celery salt, dash of pepper

2. In step 2, substitute any of the following marinades:

a. 1 tablespoon soy sauce; One half teaspoon hoisin sauce; One half teaspoon peanut
oil; One fourth teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon Chinese parsley, minced; and 1 teaspoon
scallion stalk, minced

b. One fourth cup scallions, minced; 1 teaspoon sugar; 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce;
One half teaspoon salt; and One fourth teaspoon sesame oil

c. 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, One half teaspoon sugar, One half teaspoon soybean
paste, One fourth teaspoon salt and a few drops of sesame oil

3. In step 3, when wrapping the chicken, include in each packet any of the
following:

a. one or two 1inch sections of scallion stalk

b. a bit of minced ginger

c. a sprig of Chinese parsley

d. a shelled pine nut

e. a piece of smoked ham, cut the same size as the chicken

f. several green peas, parboiled first

4. In Step 4, doublefry the chicken: Heat oil first to 250 degrees and
fry, a few envelopes at a time, turning constantly for 3 minutes. Drain on
paper toweling. Then increase temperature of oil to 375 degrees. Return
wrapped chicken and refry 2 minutes more.

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.