Chinese Paper-wrapped Chicken
Make this easy paper-wrapped chicken recipe - you'll get tender, succulent meat with an intense fragrance and robust flavours (adapted from 'Singapore Food: A treasury of more than 200 time-tested recipes' by Wendy Hutton)
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 1 to 1.2 kg cut into 20 pieces (or use your choice of chicken parts)
- 20 fresh ginger slices
- 2 spring onion stalks cut into 2-cm (1-inch) lengths
- vegetable oil for deep-frying
For the marinade
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Chinese rice wine preferably Shao Hsing (or use sherry or cognac)
- 1 tbsp ginger juice
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
For wrapping
- 20 pieces baking paper cut into 20-cm (8-inch) squares
Instructions
- Place cut chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and using your hands, rub into the meat until well mixed and thoroughly coated. Set aside for at least 2 to 3 hours in the chiller, stirring occasionally. Note: For best flavour, marinade overnight in the chiller.
- Ready the ingredients to be wrapped - chicken, ginger slices, spring onion strips, cut paper squares, and a damp cloth for wiping your fingers clean.
- Start by placing the pointed end of one paper square facing you, like a diamond. Place a slice of ginger and a few strips of spring onion in the centre. Place a piece of chicken over it. Tuck in the end closest to you, then both right and left sides. Then fold over once, and tuck in the end like an envelope. Repeat for all the chicken pieces.
- Heat up oil in a wok or Dutch oven until moderately hot, about 177° - 180°C (338° - 356°F). Deep-fry 3 - 4 pieces at a time, turning several times during the cooking, about 5 - 6 minutes. Caution: There's going to be quite a bit of splattering, so have an oil splatter screen ready in case you need it.
- Scoop out the fried wrappers with a slotted spoon or metal tongs, and allow the oil to drain off. Place in a wire basket set over a plate to catch any drippings. Repeat frying the remaining pieces in small batches.
- Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately. Serve the chicken pieces in their wrappers. Remember to provide a plate for the discarded wrappers as well as a bowl of water for rinsing the fingers or paper napkins.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 265mg, Potassium: 111mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 65IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg
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