Ingredients
2 whole chicken beasts, skinned and b, oned
2 tbsp szechwan peppercorns
4 tbsp sesame paste
3 tbsp green tea
2 tbsp wine vinegar
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
3 tbsp peanut oil
2 tsp crushed red pepper *
3 slice fresh ginger, minced
1 scallion (white part only), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1 1/2 tbsp dry sherry or shaoshing wine
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
* or you substitute 2 whole chili peppers, crushed.
In a pot, poach the chicken breasts in a little boiling water for 10
minutes until white and opaque.
In a dry frying pan, toast the Szechwan peppercorns over moderate
heat, then crust or grind them; set aside.
Remove the chicken breasts from the pot, drain and cool them. Slice
them, then shred the slices into julienne pieces.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sesame paste and green tea (or the
peanut butter and sesame oil -- See NOTE). Add the vinegar and soy
sauce; blend well. Add the peanut oil, red pepper, ginger, scallion,
garlic, sherry, cayenne pepper, and the peppercorns. Mix all
ingredients very well.
Toss the chicken strips in this sauce, to coat. Refrigerate until 20
minutes before serving. Pass the chicken and the lettuce leaves
separately, and let each guest place a small portion of the chicken
in the middle of a lettuce leaf and roll it up like an egg roll to
eat using fingers. Makes 6 appetizer servings.
NOTE: The authentic recipe calls for green tea to thin the sesame
seed paste, but you may substitute chicken broth, or simply water, if
you prefer.
Another substitution you may make if you wish is peanut butter for the
sesame seed paste along with sesame oil instead of green tea.
This dish is served cold or at room temperature and can be made a day
ahead.
Recipe: "Chinese Appetizers" by Verdi Published by Irene Chalmers
Cookbooks, 1981
Servings: 6 servings
Chicken Szechwan-Style With Sesame Paste Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Asian; Chicken; Chinese; Poultry
The History of Recipes
Food historians have proved the existence of recipes way back into distant history, certainly as far back into recorded history as the ancient Egyptians, and maybe even further. Interesting though that is, generally, these ancient cookbooks were just primitive pictorial recipes for preparing food.
Fascinatingly, the oldest recipe found, according to academics are a few tablets in the Sumerian language describing the making of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made people feel `blissful`. As our culinary historical trip moves on a few more years there are some books from the 14th Century : a book published under the title `Forme of Cury`, and another named `Curye on Inglish`. Perhaps surprisingly, they have no connection with the indian food that is familiar to us all today, but rather recipes for the types of food enjoyed by the rich and wealthy people of that time. Over the following few hundred years, the wealthy families of the West strove to serve up the best banquets, and as a result the best cooks and their collection of recipes could command a high salary. Nevertheless, it was during the 19th century that haute cuisine and recipe books rose to prominence. Mrs Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Merritt Farmer in the USA, devoted their lives to collating, trying out, and writing down recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. By the arrival of the 20th century, cooking books were greatly in demand due to increased literacy, people having more spare time and having more money to spend. |
We hope you enjoy this Chicken Szechwan Style With Sesame Paste recipe.
